Fuel prices down, gold up in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok) -- Prices of fuel and cooking oil declined in Kabul markets over the past week, while gold prices surged, according to market sources.

A worker at the Ahmadyar pump station said the price of one litre of petrol fell from 59 afs to 57 afs, and one litre of diesel dropped from 60 afs to 57 afs. Mohammad Jan Amin, a shopkeeper in the Dahan Bagh area, reported that one kilogram of liquefied gas decreased from 54 afs to 52 afs. Traders attributed the declines to lower global fuel prices.

Zmarai Safi, head of the Food Traders’ Association, said a 16-litre bottle of Malaysian cooking oil fell from 1,950 afs to 1,900 afs due to increased imports. He noted that prices of other essential food items remained stable: a 49-kilogramme sack of Kazakh flour at 1,450 afs, 24-kilogramme of Pakistani rice at 4,500 afs, a 49-kg sack of Indian sugar at 2,400 afs, one kilogramme of African black tea at 380 afs, and Indonesian green tea at 350 afs.

Hamid Sufizada, a retailer at Dahna-i-Bagh market, provided retail prices showing slight variations: 49-kg bag of Kazakh flour at 1,500 afs, 24-kg bag of Pakistani rice at 4,550 afs, 24-kg of Indian rice at 2,650 afs, 49-kg sack of Indian sugar at 2,650 afs, 16-litre cooking oil at 1,950 afs, black tea at 400 afs, and green tea at 430 afs. Sufizada and Safi noted differences between wholesale and retail prices.

Mohammad Fawad, a jeweller in the Timor Shahi area, said one gram of Arabian gold rose from 8,050 afs to 8,200 afs, and Russian gold increased from 6,400 afs to 6,510 afs. Gold dealers linked fluctuations to international markets.

Haji Mohammad Hussain, owner of the Sadaqat Money Exchange Service, reported one US dollar traded at 63.60 afs, down from 64.70 afs the previous week, while 1,000 Pakistani rupees exchanged for 215 afs, down from 220 afs.