Prices of primary items, mainly food and fuel, have shot up by almost 100 percent in Afghanistan as its residents face severe food and energy shortage.  “Last year the price of cooking oil was around 1,050 to 1,200 Afs, but now it has reached 2,500 Afs,” said Rahimullah, a shopkeeper. “A person whose income is 5,000 Afs per month cannot buy more than two items; a bag of flour and a can of oil,” said Samiullah, a shopkeeper.

The rise in food prices has been a cause of major concern for Kabul residents. “Prices have risen a lot, last year a bag of flour was 1,300 Afs, but now it has risen to 2,300 Afs. Oil’s price was 1,200 Afs, but now it has reached to 2,200Afs,” said Omid, a Kabul resident, Tolo News was quoted by UNI news agency as saying. 

In the meantime, officials from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said they will try to reduce the prices of food items in cooperation with the neighbouring countries.

“The arrival of the Islamic Emirate did not cause the prices to rise. Prices have risen in the whole world. Last year, one litre fuel was 40 Afs, but due to COVID-19, now it is almost doubled to 80Afs,” Nooruddin Azizi, the acting minister of industry and commerce, was quoted as saying. 

According to figures given by some whole sellers in Kabul, the price of most food items has nearly doubled this year compared to last year.
Figures of the increase in prices:
The price of flour has increased close to 100%,
The price of cooking oil is over 110%,
The price of rice is close to 40%,
The price of sugar more than 35%,
And the price of peas is more than 30%.
On the other hand, a number of wood sellers said that wood too doesn’t have a good market this year. According to sellers, although the price of wood has seen a short drop, a small number of Kabul residents use wood to warm their homes.

A number of taxi drivers said that fuel prices have seen a two-fold increase compared to last year. They said one litre of fuel costs more than 75 Afs in the market, while last year it was 35 Afs. “Last year, one liter fuel was 35Afs, but now it is sold from 75 to 80 Afs,” said Habibullah, a driver.

Some economists said that the rise in food and fuel prices have had bad consequences for the country.
“The rise in the prices of food items, which citizens need, will cause many problems such as reduction of sales, reduction of purchases and the loss of employment in Afghanistan,” said Iraj Faqiri, an economist.

(SAM)