Fuel prices jump in Kabul as Iran blocks shipments

KABUL – Fuel prices rose by about 27.4 percent, with petrol about 12.3 percent, during the outgoing week as a result of shortages after Iran blocked shipments of oil into Afghanistan, Kabul-based dealers said. One litre diesel was sold for 65 afghanis and the same amount of petrol for 56 afghanis against their last week’s rates of 51 afghanis and 48 afghanis respectively, a fuel seller in Taimani area of the city, Ahmad Khali said.
He said the prices could further increase if authorities in Iran did not release around 1,600 fuel tankers carrying fuel to Afghanistan.
The Iranian authorities are not allowing the tankers over past one month to cross into Afghanistan despite repeated calls by Afghan officials to release them.
Calls seeking comment on the fuel price-hike from officials of the ministry of commerce and industries weren’t answered despite efforts. The rates of other daily use commodities, however, remained unchanged in Kabul. Faraidon, a gas seller in Taimani, said one kilo of liquefied gas was sold for 61 afghanis, the same price as last week.
No change was seen in wood prices as well, as 560 kgs of cedar priced at 5,400 afghanis and the same amount of pealed oak at 6,800 afghanis, a firewood seller in Qala-i-Wakeel area, Noorullah, said. 50 kg of Brazilian sugar sold for about 2,200 afghanis, a 50 kg bag of Pakistani flour for 980 afghanis and the same amount of Pakistani rice accounted for 2,180 afghanis, head of Food Traders’ Union, Fazal Rahman said. A five-litre ghee can sold at 320 afghanis, a kilo of black African tea at 180 afghanis and green Indonesian tea at 150 afghanis, he said.
Abdul Baseer, a jeweller in the upscale Shahr-i-Naw neighbourhood, said the gold prices stayed unchanged during the week. A gram of Arabian gold was sold for 1,750 afghanis and the same amount of Iranian gold for 1,450 afghanis. Moneychanger Najeebullah Akhtari said the buying rate of a US dollar was 45.40 afghanis and 1,000 Pakistani rupees were equivalent to 522 afghanis. Last week’s exchange value of a greenback stood at 45.50 afghanis and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 521 afghanis.