Efforts Underway to Market Kandahar Cotton Globally

The Kandahar Directorate of Industry and Mines has announced ongoing efforts to market the province’s cotton in international markets, with plans underway to produce standardized cotton products. Officials from this administration stated that the goal of these measures is to find foreign markets and increase the export value of Kandahar cotton. Kandahar is one of the key agricultural provinces in southern Afghanistan, with cotton being one of its main products. Meanwhile, officials from cotton processing factories in Kandahar say that cottonseed oil and some byproducts are consumed domestically, but the cotton itself is exported abroad. Economic experts consistently emphasize that exporting raw materials instead of processed products yields lower profits and fewer job opportunities for local residents. It is expected that the Taliban administration will strengthen the production and export of finished cotton products within the country by facilitating investment and providing practical support to domestic industries.