Gold up, flour & ghee down in Kabul

KABUL): Gold prices went up while flour and ghee rates decreased during the outgoing week in Kabul, retailers said on Thursday.

One gram of Arabian gold sold for 2,200 afghanis ($46.81) against last week’s rate of 2,100afs. The same amount of Iranian variety cost 1,750afs, compared to last week’s price of 1,700afs

Abdul Basir, a jeweller in the upscale Shahr-i-Naw neighbourhood, linked the hike in gold rates to the international market trends.

The rates of some food items declined, with a 50-kg bag of Pakistani sugar priced at 980afs against its last week’s rate of 990afs, said Fazl Rahman, the head of food traders’ union.

He said that the price of a five-kilogram tin of Spin Ghar ghee fell to 420afs from 430afs. Likewise, a 50-kg sack of rice cost 2,380afs and the same amount of Brazilian sugar accounted for 2,300afs.

But a shopkeeper in the Kart-i-Parwan locality, Shukrullah, said a 50-kg flour bag cost 1,100afs and the same amount of rice 2,500afs.

Liquefied gas prices stayed unchanged during the week. A Taimani-based dealer, Obaidullah, said one kilogram of gas sold for 55afs, the same as last week.  

However, diesel and petrol were sold above the rates fixed by the government. A fuel station worker, Shamsul Haq, said the rate of one litre of diesel stood at 58afs and that of petrol at 60afs.

A fortnight back, the minister of commerce fixed at 57afs the rate of one litre of diesel/petrol.

But dealers said the commerce ministry had ignored traders’ expenses on transportation.

The buying rate of one US dollar was 48.3afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees 554afs. Last week’s rate of one American dollar was 48.40afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees equaled 554afs.

ma/mud