In brief
On Thursday evening, Kandahar province opened Afghanistan's first big cement plant, a $113 million, 1,500‑ton per day facility poised for expansion to 5,000 tons. Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and the head of the Kandahar Chamber of Mines, Sayed Sarwar Amani, led the ceremony, while the government announced a new plant in Parwan. The factory currently employs about 1,000 workers and is part of a broader push toward industrial investment.
On Thursday evening in Kandahar province, Afghan officials opened the country’s first large‑scale cement production plant, a $113 million facility that can make 1,500 tons of cement daily.
The new factory sits on 100 acres of land and is designed to raise its capacity to 5,000 tons per day as operations expand, a statement from Sayed Sarwar Amani, head of the Kandahar Chamber of Mines and Industries.
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar addressed the inauguration, pledging government support for investment and urging industrialists and investment companies to seek opportunities in Afghanistan.
According to Amani, the plant currently employs roughly 1,000 people, with the workforce expected to grow as production ramps up. The government spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the administration would continue building more cement factories across the war‑torn country.
In July, the government began construction of a second cement plant in Jabal Saraj district of eastern Parwan province, part of its strategy to achieve self‑sufficiency in cement production.
The inauguration marks a significant step in Afghanistan’s push to revive its industrial sector and reduce dependence on imported building materials.
