Taliban authorities on Thursday inaugurated the first phase of the Shorandam Cement Factory in Kandahar, with a capacity to produce 1,500 metric tons per day. The factory is being developed with private investment in Kandahar’s Shorandam industrial area, and according to the Taliban's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, investment in the project has reached $113 million.
The project, which began construction in March 2023, is planned to increase its daily production capacity to about 5,000 tons once fully developed. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Taliban Deputy Chief Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar, said that Afghanistan could achieve sustainable economic development by making greater use of its domestic resources and expanding industrial production.
According to him, the Taliban authorities' economic strategy aims to gradually shift Afghanistan from a consumption-based economy toward greater domestic production. The goal is to meet more of the country's needs locally and increase exports. Baradar added that Afghanistan has significant domestic resources for cement production, and local manufacturing could play a vital role in meeting demand from the country's construction sector.
Previously, the project's costs were announced differently. Initially, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum stated the investment was around $100 million. In January 2025, Baradar's office said the factory was being built at a cost of about 8 billion afghanis.
This project is considered one of the largest industrial projects in the south of the country and is expected to create about 5,000 direct and indirect jobs upon completion. Afghanistan’s Chamber of Industries and Mines recently stated that the project is being developed in three phases and that about 500 people are already employed at the site.
The opening of this factory is seen as a significant step towards Afghanistan's economic self-sufficiency. For years, the country has relied on imported cement from neighboring countries, especially Pakistan and Iran, to meet its construction needs. Expanding domestic production could help reduce prices and boost the construction industry in the country.
Source: AfghanistanNews Updates
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