KABUL (Pajhwok): The prices of Indian rice, gold and fuel decreased, while the rates of diesel and sugar surged in the outgoing week in Kabul, market sources said on Saturday.
A worker at the Ahmadyar fuel station said the price of one litre of petrol fell from 66afs to 63afs, but diesel went up from 62afs to 63afs.
Mohammad Jan Amin, a shopkeeper in the Dahan-i-Bagh area of Kabul, said one kilogram of liquefied gas sold for 57afs.
Food items
Zmarai Safi, head of the Food Traders’ Association, said the price of a 24-kg bag of Indian rice decreased from 2,650afs to 2,600afs, but a 49-kg sack of Turkey sugar surged from 3,300afs to 3,700afs.
According to him, sugar was previously imported from Pakistan, but following the closure of trade routes by the Pakistani government, Afghan traders have now chosen alternative trade routes. As a result, sugar prices have risen, as it is being imported from a more distant route—namely Turkey.
He added that prices of other essential food items remained unchanged, including a 49-kg sack of Kazakh flour at 1,550afs, a 16-litre bottle of Malaysian cooking oil at 1,850afs, one kilogram of African black tea at 380afs, and one kilogram of Indonesian green tea at 350afs.
Safi noted that in some cases retail prices differ slightly from wholesale prices, while in others the difference is more significant.
Hamid Sufizada, a retailer at Dahan-i-Bagh market, said the retail price of a 49-kg bag of Kazakh flour was 1,600afs, a 24-kg bag of Indian rice was 2,650afs, and a 49-kg sack of Turkey sugar was 3,750afs.
He added that a 16-litre bottle of cooking oil cost 1,900afs, one kilogram of black tea 400afs, and one kilogram of green tea 430afs.
Gold prices down
Mohammad Fawad, a jeweller in the Timor Shahi area, said the price of one gram of Arabian gold decreased from 7,770afs to 7,625afs, while the same amount of Russian gold rose from 6,810afs to 6,070afs.
Gold dealers said fluctuations in local gold prices are linked to changes in international markets.
Currency rates
Haji Mohammad Hussain, owner of Sadaqat Money Exchange Service, said one US dollar was traded at 64.20afs, while 1,000 Pakistani rupees exchanged for 220afs. In the previous week, one US dollar traded at 64.70afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 220afs.
hz/sa
