Gas, sugar prices go up in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): The prices of liquefied gas, petrol and sugar jumped during the outgoing week in Kabul, with efforts ongoing to bring down the gas rate, market sources said on Thursday.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industries said 10,000 tonnes of liquefied gas was imported after the commodity’s rate climbed to 120 afs a kilo from 65 afghanis last week.

Gas seller Mohammad Nasir told Pajhwok Afghan News in Nader Khan Tapa area of Kabul city that the unprecedented surge in gas price prompted dealers to shut down their shops.

Kabul residents said a kilogram of gas was sold for 85 afghanis in the Thaimani area against 90 afghanis a kilo in Chehel Soton area.

Gas sellers’ union head Haji Latif Herati said gas consumers were concerned about the record increase in gas price amid decreased imports.

He said the gas price surged after the government set an improper rate for the commodity because traders could not import and sell it on that price.

The ministry has fixed the price of one kilogram of gas at 55 afghanis.

Fuel control director at the commerce ministry, Farid Ahmad Sherzai, said there had been no increase in gas price in the international market, insisting the price set by the ministry was proper.

“We measured the gas price and its imports and then fixed the price at 55 afghanis. Some traders imported a fewer amount of gas to make its price higher in the market,” he said, adding the commerce minster traveled to Faryab province’s Aqina port on Thursday to investigate fewer gas imports.

Sherzai said a draft law would be shared soon with parliament on monopoly of liquefied gas.

The price of petrol also increased during the week as one litre was sold for 63 afs against its last week’s price of 64 afs, said filling station owner, Abdul Saboor,

He linked the increase to cut in imports of petroleum products from foreign countries.

Except sugar, prices of other daily-use items remained unchanged.

Fazal Rahman, the Food Traders’ Union head, said a 50-kilogarm bag of Pakistani sugar was sold for 1,720 afghanis against its last week’s price of 1,700afs.

However, the price of a 50-kg bag of Pakistani flour stayed stable at 1,280 afs, a 24-kg sack of rice at 1,800 afs, a five-liter tin of Momin oil at 380afs, a kilogram of African tea at 210afs and a kilogram of Vietnamese tea at 180afs.

But a retailer in Dahan-i-Bagh area, Khan Ali, sold a sack of 50-kg sack of Pakistani flour for 1,410afs, a 50-kg bag of sugar for 1,900afs, a 24-kg sack of rice for 2,200afs, a 5-kg Momin oil at 470afs, a kilogram of green tea for 260afs and a kilogram of African black tea for 280afs.

Abdul Baseer, a jeweller in Lycée Maryam area, said the price of one gram of Arabian gold was 2,100afs and the same quantity of the Iranian variety was sold for 1,700afs.

Moneychanger Ahmad Shah said the buying rate of one US dollar was 56.90afs, while 1,000 Pakistani rupees accounted for 560afs. Last week’s exchange value of the dollar stood at 56.20afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 569afs.

mds/ma

 

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