Kabul witnesses price drop on food essentials: Afghanistan Economy

KABUL, Oct 01 (NNI): Kabul witnesses a slight drop on prices of food products – including rice, flours, and oil among others – which over the past months have seen its highest due to the political uncertainty and economic collapse.
The country’s overall economy since the takeover last August has been affect, where residents suffered great economic loss and poverty across Afghanistan. But the slight drop on prices have sparked joy among locals.
“Food prices have decreased, whether it is flour, rice, or oil,” said Zarif, a resident of Kabul, as TOLOnews quoted.
“They (the caretaker of Afghanistan) should provide employment opportunities for the people, so they can buy rice, flour and oil,” said Abdulhasib, another resident of Kabul.
Meanwhile, a number of retailers and business owners, the Afghanistan-Russia agreement on wheat and oil imports have helped prices to drop and is hopeful such will continue until the country’s economy will recover.
“Diesel was between 104 and 105 afghanis, and it has now dropped to 97 afghanis in just a week, and petrol, which was between 93 and 94 Afghanis, has dropped to 79 Afghanis,” said Ram Khuda, an oil vendor, as local media quoted.
But local taxi drivers said the prices drop is minimal and expect it lower until it will meet the same prices as it was during the former government.
“We ask them to decrease prices further. It’s been a week since the deal was signed, and the oil prices have dropped two or three Afghanis,” said Bashir Ahmad, a driver.
According to the Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), the drop in the price of food items and oil in the world has had a positive effect on the price of food, especially flour, cooking oil and rice in the country’s markets.
“When the price in the world markets goes down, the price in the Afghan market goes down as well, which is why food items have luckily become a little cheaper,” said Khanjan Alikozai, a member of the ACCI.
Afghanistan imports the majority of its essential goods, including food and energy, from Iran, Russia, and Central Asian nations, which in recent months has seen its highest in years. NNI