Kabul businessman slashes price of onions and potatoes to help the needy

As the prices of onions and potatoes skyrockets in Kabul, one businessman in the city is offering customers a massive discount on the produce for the next seven days.

Seven kilograms of onions currently sells for up to 500 afghanis in Kabul markets, but businessman Mirwais Hajizada has slashed the price to 150 afghanis for 7kg.

He has also cut his price of potatoes at 100 afghanis.

“Today, you can see that there are ten trucks carrying 500 to 1,000 tons of onions and potatoes. We have decided to distribute 1,000 tons per day for seven days,” Hajizada said.

Kabul residents welcomed the initiative and asked other traders to sell essential goods at reasonable prices.

“This is a very good job. This is a good price for poor people,” said Mukhtar, a resident of Kabul.

Pacha Khan, a resident of Kabul city, said: “We ask other traders to reduce the prices of produce in this holy month of Ramadan.”

Kabul Municipality also called on other members of the private sector to help people.

“We appreciate this initiative. We ask other businessmen to have mercy on their people and hold their hands,” said Ismatullah Ansari, Deputy Director of Market Regulation Department at Kabul Municipality.

Municipality officials also warned shopkeepers in Kabul city that if anyone sells basic food items at a price higher than the price set by the department, they could run the risk of having their shops closed down.