Food prices surge, gold stable in Kabul

KABUL): The prices of flour, rice and sugar edged up during the outgoing week in Kabul, where rates of other daily-use commodities stayed stable, retailers said on Thursday.

The price of a 24-kg bag of Pakistani rice jumped from 1,700afs to 1,800afs, a 50-kg bag of sugar from 1,700 to 1,750afs and a 49-kg flour bag from 1,200 to 1,230afs, according to Fazal Rahman, the Food Traders’ Union head. He linked the surge to cuts in imports from Pakistan.

However, the prices of other commodities stayed unchanged as a 5-liter Momin ghee sold for 400afs, a kilo of Indonesian green tea for 175afs and the same quantity of black African tea for 210afs, the same prices as last week.

A litre of petrol cost 58afs and the same amount of diesel 63afs, said Abdul Hadi, a pump station manager in the Wazirabad area.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Sharif, a gas dealer in the Kalola Pushta area sold a kg of liquid gas at 47afs, registering no change.

Gold prices also stayed stable in the Kabul markets, with one gram of Arabic gold costing 2,100afs and the same amount of Iranian gold 1,750afs, said Abdul Basir a jeweler in the Lacyee Maryam neighbourhood.

The exchange value of one US dollar was 56.60afs and 1000 Pakistani rupees accounted for 548afs, money exchanger Ahmad Shah said.

mrh/ma

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