Soaring food prices irk Ghor, Nimroz, Badghis residents

FEROZKOH/ZARANJ/QALA-I-NAW (Pajhwok): The residents of Ghor, Badghis and Nimroz provinces complain about the soaring prices of essential food items and ask relevant officials to control the prices.
Abdul Hakim, a resident of Qala-i-Naw, the capital of northwestern Badghis province, told Pajhwok Afghan News the price of 150 grams of bread had surged from 10 afs to 15 afs which was now out of the reach of poor people. He said the price of 24.5 kilogram of rice had increased from 2,100 afs to 2,500 afs.
Nisar Ahmad, a shopkeeper in Qala-i-Naw, said he purchased food items from other provinces at a higher rate, adding that the government should control businessmen and the importers of food items.
Qala-i-Naw Mayor Mohammad TahirGhafori said essential food items prices had soared in international markets which had impacted the prices in Badghis as well.
He said the municipality strictly checked the prices in the market on a daily basis.
Abdul Qayyoum, resident of Ferozkoh, the capital of western Ghor province, also complained about soaring prices of essential food items.
“The prices of essential food items have skyrocketed and people are unable to purchase them. The prices of a bag of flour has jumped to 3,000 afs and in the past we bought it for 2,000 afs.”
Bashir Ahmad, one of the shopkeepers in Ferozkoh City, said: “The fare of trucks from Kabul and Herat to Ferozkoh City has increased, customs offices charge higher duty, therefore we are forced to sell items at a higher rate.”
Ghor Information Director Mawlavi Mohammad Hammas said: “We cannot interfere in the prices of essential items brought from other provinces, we could just control the prices. We take the prices from Kabul and Herat and control the market accordingly.”
Ali RazaTokhi, resident of Zaranj City, also complained about soaring rates of essential items.
He said a piece of 550 gram of bread was sold from 20 to 30 afs while a piece of 330 grams of bread sold against 15 afs.
He blamed Kabul Municipality for not controlling the market and said the prices of essential items had witnessed a unprecedented rise and people were unable to buy the bread.
Haji Nadir Uzbakzahi, price control director at the Zaranj Municipality, said: “The price of bread is decided on the basis of flour price. In the past a bag of flour was accounted for 1,200 afs while currently the price of a bag of flour jumped to 2,900 afs. Similarly the prices of fuel and other items had surged.”