Gas, firewood prices up with advent of winter

KABUL): Prices of liquefied gas and firewood jumped and gold rates fell during the outgoing week in Kabul, dealers said on Thursday.

One kilogram of gas was sold for 65 afghanis against its last week’s rate of 53afs, said a dealer, Zabihullah, who linked the surge to the advent of winter and rising demand.

However, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry says one kg gas should be sold for 59afs. The ministry has assigned inspection teams with monitoring gas rates in all parts of the city.

Faridullah Sherzai, head of the commerce ministry’s fuel department, said a $25 increase in per tonne of gas sent its price soaring.

The ministry’s spokesman, Wahidullah Ghazikhel, said gas prices would start declining as soon as stocks from the Hairatan dry port arrived in Kabul.

With the arrival of the winter, firewood prices have also soared. The price of per 560 kilograms of peeled oak rose from 7,200afs to 7,400afs and unpeeled oak from 6,800 afs to 7,200.

The rate of same amount of cedar increased from 6,200afs to 6,800afs, said Hamid, a stall owner in the Sarsabzi area, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Meanwhile, prices of diesel and petrol stayed stable at 64 per litre, said Abdul Hadi, a filling station official in Wazirabad area.

Abdul Baseer, a jeweller in the upscale Shahr-i-Naw neighbourhood, said gold prices had slipped, with one gram of Arabian gold sold for 2,150afs against last week’s rate of 2,200afs and the same quantity of the Iranian variety for 1,700afs, compared with 1,750afs last week.

Food prices stayed stable. According to Fazal Rahman, the Food Traders’ Union head, a 49-kg sack of Pakistani flour cost 1300afs, a 24-kg bag of Pakistani rice 1800afs and a 50-kg sack of sugar 1700afs.

Similarly, a kg of Indonesian green tea was priced at 175afs, same quantity of African black tea at 210afs and a 5-litre tin of Momin Ghee at 400afs — same rates as last week’s.

But a retailer in the Kart-i-Seh area of Kabul, Khan Ali, sold a 49-kg bag of Pakistani flour for 1,360afs, a 50-kg sack of sugar for 1,950afs and a 49-kg bag of rice for 2,000afs.

He sold a 5-kg tin of Momin ghee for 460afs and a kilo of African black tea for 280afs and the same quantity of Indonesian green tea for 240afs, higher than wholesale prices.

Moneychanger Ahmad Shah said the buying rate of one US dollar was 57.70afs, while 1,000 Pakistani rupees accounted for 540afs. Last week’s exchange value of the dollar stood at 57.50afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 540afs.

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