Officials at the Herat silo say that after the closure of the bakery section, the silo is facing serious challenges.

According to officials, previously around 170 employees at the Herat silo produced nearly 20,000 loaves of bread daily. However, with the bakery section now closed, the number of employees has dropped to just 12.

Ahmad Sabit, the head of Herat silo, said: "There are two main operations at the silo: baking bread and storing wheat. Our wheat storage has also decreased, and until last year, we had a contract with Herat Regional Hospital for bread supply. However, the private sector has taken over the contract, and now we have no contracts at all."

Emad Hussaini, the control manager of the Herat silo, said: "First, the central administration must support us, and then the local authorities. If local officials do not support us, we won't be able to continue operating, and the silo will collapse. We are already almost paralyzed. Our duties are wheat storage and bread production, but currently, we have no contracts, either military or civilian."

Herat silo, built over half a century ago, has most of its equipment now outdated and unusable.

Farhad Mojahidzada, the manager of grain storage at the Herat silo, said: "We have many technical problems, and we ask the Islamic Emirate to address the issues facing the silo, which serves as a national grain reserve."

One of the silo workers, Ghulam Mohammad Amiri, said: "The silo faces many problems. The machinery and equipment are old and worn out."

However, local officials in Herat say that from now on, contracts for the bread supply to both civilian and military institutions will be signed with the Herat silo.

"The local administration of Herat has plans and programs to strengthen and better utilize the silo so that its operations can be more effective in the future," said Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi, spokesperson for the Herat governor.

Currently, five silos are active across the country, located in Kabul, Balkh, Herat, Kandahar, and Baghlan provinces.

These silos are involved in three main areas: wheat and flour storage, milling, and the production of bread, cakes, and cookies.

At present, most of these silos are only used for wheat storage.