KABUL (Pajhwok): Amid an almost eight percent decline in global crude oil prices following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, fuel prices in Kabul have fallen slightly, while rates of liquefied gas and gold also dropped. However, flour and cooking oil have become more expensive.
Fuel prices
A worker at the Ahmadyar fuel station said one litre of petrol decreased from 67afs to 66afs, while diesel also fell from 66afs to 65afs. The decreases represent declines of 1.49 percent and 1.52 percent respectively.
Meanwhile, data from Trading Economics, an international provider of economic and market data, show that the price of crude oil declined from about $84 to $77 per barrel over the past week, representing a drop of nearly eight percent.
The downward trend has continued since Tehran and Washington announced their agreement to sign a memorandum of understanding and subsequently signed the document.
Mohammad Jan Amin, a shopkeeper in the Dahan-i-Bagh area of Kabul, said the price of one kilogram of liquefied gas decreased from 59afs to 56afs.
Food items
Zamari Safi, head of the Food Traders Union in Kabul, told Pajhwok Afghan News that compared to seven days ago, the price of a 49-kg sack of Indian sugar dropped from 3,000afs to 2,600afs.
However, a 49-kg sack of Kazakh flour increased from 1,500afs to 1,550afs, and a 16-litre bottle of Malaysian cooking oil from 1,800afs to 1,850afs.
He said prices of other essential food items remained stable, including a 24-kg bag of Indian rice at 2,500afs, one kilogram of African black tea at 380afs, and one kilogram of Indonesian green tea at 350afs.
Safi noted that retail prices are slightly higher than wholesale prices in some cases, while in others the gap is more noticeable.
Hamid Sufizada, a retailer at Dahan-i-Bagh market, said the retail price of a 49-kg sack of Kazakh flour stood at 1,600afs, a 24-kg bag of Indian rice at 2,550afs, and a 49-kg sack of Indian sugar at 2,650afs.
He added that a 16-litre bottle of cooking oil sold for 1,900afs, while one kilogram of black tea cost 400afs and 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 7,120afs to 7,090afs, while the same amount of Russian gold fell from 5,675afs to 5,660afs.
Gold traders said fluctuations in local gold prices were linked to changes in international markets.
Currency rates
Haji Mohammad Hussain, owner of Sadaqat Money Exchange Service, said one US dollar was traded at 64.50afs, while 1,000 Pakistani rupees exchanged for 225afs.
Last week, one US dollar traded at 64.40afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 225afs
hz/sa
