The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock is constructing a large fish farming facility in Kandahar at a cost of 15 million Afghani.

Officials from the ministry said that this farm will have the capacity to produce 60,000 fish daily, and with its completion, Kandahar will achieve self-sufficiency in fish meat production.

Mohammad Hamid, the head of livestock at the Kandahar Department of Agriculture and Irrigation, said: “We intend to establish a large fish farming facility in the Bagh-e-Pul area of Kandahar, for which a budget of 15 million Afghanis has been allocated, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock. This initiative will not only meet the fish meat demand of Kandahar but also supply the needs of nearby provinces.”

According to officials, there are currently 182 fish farms operating in Kandahar, with fish fingerlings being imported from neighboring countries.

Fish farmers believe that with adequate support, the province can achieve self-sufficiency in fish meat production.

Mohammad Ibrahim, head of the Kandahar Fish Farming Union, said: “Currently, we produce 25% of Kandahar's fish meat requirements and import fish fingerlings from Pakistan. If we receive support and water resources are managed, we can fully meet this demand.”

Noor Ahmad, one of the fish farmers, added: “Our request is for assistance because Kandahar is very backward in agriculture, and we do not have sufficient facilities for fish farming.”

The Kandahar Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock has announced that currently, three types of fish — grass carp, common carp, and silver carp — are being farmed in this province's fish farms, and over two hundred thousand kilograms of fish meat will be produced this year.