KABUL (SW) – A number of residents of Kabul, complaining about the ever-increasing price of food items, especially flour, in the markets of the city, say that they have lost the ability to provide for the food needs of their families.
Haleem, a resident of Taimani, told Salam Watandar that with the rising price of food, he can hardly meet the food needs of his family of eight. “Prices have gone too high. If I work a lot every day, it will be 100 afghanis; what can I buy with this money? Flour, sugar, tea or other items? What will become of these 100 afghani?”
The residents of Kabul city want the authorities to control the price of food items in the markets of the capital by considering the economic situation of the people.
Saboor, a resident of Karte Parwan, said: “People are struggling with problems. The government should control the rates and prevent price increases because there is no business and people are facing problems.”
On the other hand, a number of shopkeepers in Kabul say that the price of raw materials, especially flour, has been increasing for some time now.
Karim, a shopkeeper in the old Makrorian of Kabul city, said: “Today, a bag of flour costs 1,900 afghanis. It used to be 1,650 afghani and now it is 1,900. The price of sugar has also increased.”
Officials in the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment say that they are trying to reduce the price of raw materials in the markets of the capital by importing goods from the alternative routes of the Salang highway.
Khan Jan Alakozay, deputy of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, told Salam Watandar: “When we bring materials from Herat and Turghandi to Kabul, we travel more than 12 hundred kilometers and it takes days. The problems at the Mahipar route is also affecting the market rate. Now flour is transported through Iran and small cars bring flour through Shibar. I hope the rate will not go higher and we will try to reduce the rates.”
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