Winter pushes up firewood prices in Kabul

KABUL): Prices of firewood and rice shot up while rates of other consumer essentials remained stable during the outgoing week in Kabul, retailers said on Thursday.

The price of 560 kilogrammes of unpeeled oak rose to 8,000afghanis from last week’s 7,600afs, a firewood seller in Chaman Babrak, Mohammad Ewaz, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

The same quantity of cedar wood increased from 7,200 afs to 7,300 afs during the outgoing week, as the onset of winter had pushed up firewood prices, he added.

Fuel prices remained unchanged over the week, with a litre of petrol costing 58 afs and similar quantity of diesel sold at 63 afs, said Hashmatullah, a filling station owner in Taimany square.

A Taimani-based dealer, Ahmad Javed, said a kg of gas was sold at 50afs, similar to last week’s price.

Meanwhile, a 50-kg Pakistani rice was priced 3,200 afs against last week’s 3,150afs, said Haji Fazl Rahman, head of the Food Traders’ Union.

A 50-kg Pakistani sugar was sold at 1,850 afs and the same amount of Pakistani flour was tagged at 1,080 afs, a 5-kg tin of Momin ghee cost 410 afs, a kilogramme of African black tea cost 200afs and the same quantity of Indonesian green tea priced at 170 afs, he added.

But wholesale prices varied from retail rates in some parts of the city. Amanullah, a shopkeeper in Qala-i-Fathullah, sold a 50-kg sack of Pakistani rice at 3,800 afs and 50 kg Pakistani sugar for 2,200 afs.

He said the same amount of Pakistani flour was priced at 1,150 afs, a 5-kg tin of ghee at 480 afs, a kilogramme of African back tea at 260 afs and Indonesian green tea at 200 afs.

Abdul Baseer, a jeweller in the Lycce-i-Maryam neighbourhood, said one gramme of Arabian gold cost 2,400 afs, while the same amount of Iranian variety was 2,100 afs — prices same as last week.

Moneychanger Ahmad Shah said the buying rate of a US dollar was 52.95 afs, while the rate for 1,000 Pakistani rupees was 556 afs. Last week’s exchange value of the greenback stood at 52.97 afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 550afs, he said.

Myn/vp

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