Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) is planning to give land to industrial factories that are currently renting land.

The MoCI said that a new industrial park will be established in Kabul.  

“There is another location where we will provide land for the factories that are currently active on rented land, and we will establish a new (industrial) park,” said Noruddin Azizi, Minister of Commerce and Industry.  

Meanwhile, the industrial owners said that they are facing a lack of raw materials in addition to land problems, and many factories have halted their operations.  

According to the factory owners, they cannot purchase the raw materials due to restrictions in the banking system.  

“If we have access to raw materials, I believe we can overcome the current situation and Afghanistan can be developed,” said Baz Mohammad, owner of a factory.  

“A lack of markets for the products—negative competition from neighboring countries—restrictions with banking, and a lack of infrastructures are the problems which the industries are facing,” said Mohammad Kareem Azimi, head of the Chamber of Industry and Mines.  

According to the MoCI, there are around 5,000 factories active in 18 industrial parks across the country. Of the 5,000, 1,100 factories are in Kabul, however, around 500 factories have recently halted their operations.