Diesel, sugar, rice prices up in Kabul — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The prices of diesel, sugar and Indian rice increased in Kabul during the outgoing week, while those of gold and petrol declined, market sources said on Saturday. Zmarai Safi, head of the Food Traders’ Association, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the price of a 24-kg sack of Indian rice rose from 2,500 afghanis to 2,600 afghanis, while a 49-kg sack of Indian sugar increased from 2,600 afghanis to 2,630 afghanis. He attributed the increases to higher import volumes in Kabul markets. He said the prices of other essential commodities remained unchanged. A 16-litre container of Malaysian cooking oil cost 2,300 afghanis, a 49-kg sack of Kazakh flour 1,600 afghanis, one kilogram of African black tea 380 afghanis and the same quantity of Indonesian green tea 350 afghanis. He noted that retail prices sometimes differed slightly from wholesale rates, while in other cases the differences were more substantial. Hamid Sufizada, a retailer at Dahna-i-Bagh market, said a 49-kg sack of Kazakh flour sold for 1,650 afghanis, a 24-kg sack of Indian rice for 2,650 afghanis and a 49-kg sack of Indian sugar for 2,680 afghanis. A 16-litre container of cooking oil cost 2,350 afghanis, while one kilogram of black tea sold for 430 afghanis and the same quantity of green tea for 400 afghanis, he added. Hikmatullah, an employee…