Categories: Afghanistan

Prices spike as virus fears trigger panic buying

KABUL (Agencies): An inevitable impact of the coronavirus pandemic has hit Kabul’s fragile economy, triggering a spike in prices of essential commodities as people are panic-buying amid fears of the virus outbreak.

Fearing risks of Kabul’s possible quarantine, people have thronged the markets to buy necessities. This has triggered hoarding and price hike.

Kabul Food Union said that food prices have soared as there isn’t enough foodstuffs in Afghanistan. A union member, Fazl Rahman, said that people have also been panic buying out of fear.

If the government didn’t pay serious attention, the Kabul residents will be in deep trouble, he said, adding that one sack of flour is now priced at 2,500 Afs from the previous 1,600 Afs.

Kabul Municipality has shrugged off the responsibility to control food prices. Ministry of Commerce and Industries was contacted several times for information, but to no avail.

This is as Pakistan which has close trade ties with Afghanistan has shut its borders following the outbreak of coronavirus.

The Frontier Post

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