Balkh residents seek prices, exchange rate parity

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Some residents in northern Balkh province have complained that the prices of food items did not drop with the depreciation of dollar value.

On the contrary, they said when the value of the dollar appreciated there is a sudden hike in the prices of essential food items. Balkh residents urged the government to take serious steps to control the prices.

According to reports, one month ago the exchange rate of one dollar was 71 afs but currently dollar has depreciated against afghani and dropped to 67 afs.

Abdul Samad, a resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, told Pajhwok Afghan News when the value of the dollar increased the prices of essential items also jumped but when the dollar value depreciated the prices of essential items did not drop accordingly.

He said: “One month ago, when one dollar was 71 afs, the price of a bag of flour was 1,500 afs but now the price of one dollar has dropped from 71 but the price of flour remained the same.”

Abdul Jabbar, another resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, said: “A month ago, when the price of the dollar was high, the price of 10 liters of cooking oil was 820 afs, but now that the price has dropped, the price of oil has risen to 900 afs.”

Hameedullah, a shopkeeper in Mazar-i-Sharif, said shopkeepers could not control the prices because it was businessmen and traders who fixed the prices.

He said: “We cannot change the prices, if we buy at a high price, we have to sell it high, and if we buy it low price, then we sell it low.”

Meanwhile, some other people expressed similar views and asked the government to control prices.

Azizullah Azizi, director of the Market Management Section at the Municipality, said the price list had been distributed to control prices and the violators would be dealt with accordance to the law.

Abdul Qayyoum Rahimi, head of the Balkh Moneychangers Union, said the reason behind the increase in dollar value was a halt to the smuggling of dollars and in some provinces transactions are taking place by Afghani.

Haseebullah Noori, spokesperson of the DAB, said that money markets in the country were being monitored and necessary efforts were being made to control prices.

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