In brief
The newly opened plant covers 100 acres in Kandahar province, costing $113 million and employing about 1,000 workers. With plans to expand to 5,000 tons per day, the facility reflects the government's push for industrial self‑sufficiency, alongside a second plant under construction in Parwan.
A cement plant, a specialized facility that mixes raw materials into final cement, opened on Thursday in Kandahar province, Afghan officials say it will supply 1,500 tons of cement per day. The factory, built on 100 acres and costing $113 million, also demonstrates a shift toward domestic material production, a key factor in the country’s reconstruction and economic expansion.
According to Sayed Sarwar Amani, head of the Kandahar Chamber of Mines and Industries, the plant currently employs about 1,000 employees and can increase output to 5,000 tons a day as future upgrades are completed. “The facility is designed to grow with the country’s demands,” Amani told reporters at the opening ceremony.
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar also appeared, pledging continued government support for investment. Baradar urged entrepreneurs and international firms to invest in Afghanistan’s industrial sectors, stating that the nation needed a self‑sufficient cement supply to stimulate infrastructure projects.
Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid added that the capital’s administration intends to build more cement factories in the war‑torn country, a statement that follows the unveiling of a second plant currently under construction in the Jabal Saraj district of Parwan province.
Experts say the new facility uses a dry‑process method, where raw materials are ground, heated, and cooled without the use of large water reservoirs, making it suitable for regions with limited water resources. The use of a dry process also reduces the plant’s energy consumption and carbon footprint compared to wet-process alternatives.
Financially, the project’s $113 million investment includes state‑of‑the‑art kilns, grinding mills, and quality control systems. The government aligned the investment with the International Energy Agency’s recommendation that emerging economies build local capacity to meet domestic consumption in construction materials.
The plant’s production lines involve multiple steps: stone and clay are crushed, dried, and blended; the mixture is fed into a rotary kiln where temperatures reach 1,450 °C; the calcined clinker is then ground with gypsum to form cement, which is packaged for distribution.
While the initial phase focuses on producing Ordinary Portland Cement for general construction, the team plans to diversify into high‑strength and specialty cements as market demands evolve. The expansion to 5,000 tons a day will enable the plant to meet a larger share of the province’s construction needs.
Labor recruitment has also been part of the project’s social impact plan. The plant’s 1,000 staff include engineers, technicians, and support workers, with job training provided on-site to improve local expertise in cement manufacturing.
“Our goal is to reduce dependence on imported cement and provide a stable, affordable source for building projects—both public and private,” said Amani during the ceremony.
«This milestone marks the beginning of a new era for Afghanistan’s industrial sector, as we transform raw material processing into a driver of economic growth.»
The inauguration was welcomed by regional builders and civil engineers, who anticipate that the plant’s output will support upcoming housing, road, and bridge projects in Kandahar and other provinces.
Kandahar’s selection as the first site is strategic, given its proximity to mining sites for limestone, a primary raw material, and logistical infrastructure that can handle the transportation of finished products to demand centers.
In summary, the opening of Afghanistan’s first large‑scale cement plant signals a significant step toward industrial self‑sufficiency, bolstered by a planned expansion that could dramatically increase the country’s construction material supply while creating opportunities for local employment and technological development.
