The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) signed a contract with a private oil company to pave the way for less expensive fuel to be sold in the Kabul market as fuel prices has seen a significant increase in recent weeks.  

The acting Minister of Commerce and Industry said that fuel will be sold 10 Afs less per liter at select stations in Kabul.

“With all the countries, with the people who were working in the oil business, we made contact via Zoom. From among them, the Yama petroleum company expressed readiness to provide fuel at a 10 Afs reduction per liter,” said Nooruddin Azizi, the acting Minister of Commerce and Industry. 

The Yama petroleum company will provide fuel in 12 fuel stations in the capital. 

Meanwhile, taxi drivers said that the price of fuel is still high. 

“There were rumors that a company would sell the oil for 10 Afs less for each liter but I haven’t seen any such company,” said a taxi driver.  

“I call on the traders and the Islamic Emirate to control the price of fuel and bring the price down,” said Faridullah, a driver.  

Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) said that unless the import of fuel is resumed, prices will remain high.  

“The import stopped by 80 percent, there is decreased (fuel) coming to Afghanistan. But right now the tankers of oil and gas have been stopped at all ports,” said Khanjan Alokozai, deputy head of the ACCI.  

The residents of Kabul called on the caretaker government to allow the imports of oil into Afghanistan.  

“We call on the Islamic Emirate to import fuel with a low price as soon as possible,” said Sayed Afzal, a resident.  

Afghanistan imports its oil from the Central Asian States, Iran and Russia. Due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, the price of oil has increased worldwide.