KABUL (SW) – Traders say they have suffered immensely amid suspension in imports and exports via the Salang pass and Torkham crossing.
After the Torkham border crossing and the Salang highway were closed to traffic, the price of food items such as flour, petroleum oil and sugar in the supply market of Kabul city, the largest market selling food items in the capital city, has increased by 50 to 200 afghanis.
A number of food sellers say that after the closure of the Salang highway and the continued closure of the Torkham crossing, the price of some food items has increased compared to last week.
Abdul Razzaq and Abdul Bari, sellers of foodstuffs in Kabul city, said that the price of flour has changed by about 30 dollars and the price of a sack has increased from 1,500 afghani to 1,700 afghani in the past week. Abdul Razzaq adds: “Salang has been shut. When there is not much freight through the first gate, even if there is a bit, the fare will be increased. That’s why the prices rise. Right now, a ton of flour costs nearly 50 dollars extra.”
Abdul Bari added: “Sugar has become expensive because it comes from Pakistan and the Torkham route has been closed for the past few days.”
The price of fuel such as oil and liquid gas has also increased in the last few days in Kabul. A number of gas and oil sellers in Kabul say that in the past few days, the price of one liter of oil has increased by more than seven afghanis and the price of one kilogram of liquid gas has also increased by five afghanis.
Khan Ali, a gas seller in Kabul city, says: “The price of gas has changed by 5 afghanis per kilo. Last week, we were selling a kilogram of gas for 55 afghanis, but in the past few days, we sell at 60 afghanis beecause the road is blocked and it is likely that it will go up again.”
Ramin, s fuel seller at Taimani intersection in Kabul city, also says: “One liter of petrol today costs 64 afghanis and diesel costs 64 afghanis. In the past few days, the prices have changed by six afghanis, because the road is blocked and the price of oil in the world market is also high.”
A number of residents of Kabul, expressing their concern over the daily increase in the prices of some food and fuel, ask the caretaker government of the Islamic Emirate to control the prices of these materials in the markets of the capital and prevent the instability of the market.
Hashem, a resident of Kabul city, says: “The prices go up with little changes in the situation, but people are poor and helpless. it’s hard. Today I bought a bag of flour for 1,700 afghanis, a person works for 100 or 200 afghanis a day, how can he survive?”
Meanwhile, Akhundzada Abdul Salam Javad, the spokesman of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, told Salam Watandar that the talks with Pakistani authorities to reopen the Torkham crossing were ongoing.
He adds: “Torkham crossing was closed for business. The Islamic Emirate and the Ministry of Industry and Trade are following the issue seriously and are negotiating with the Pakistani authorities to resolve the problem as soon as possible.”
However, the officials in Kabul municipality say that after examining the market situation for the sale of food items, they will determine the price list and prevent the instability of the market.
Nematullah Barakzai, the spokesperson of Kabul Municipality, told Salam Watandar: “We review all the elements that affect the price list and then distribute the price list. When the price list is distributed, it is valid and if someone sells food arbitrarily, he will be dealt with seriously, from commitment to introduction to judicial institutions.”
ENDS
