Second Phase of Jabal al-Saraj Cement Plant Begins, Aiming for 10,000 Tons Daily Production
The Taliban administration has announced the commencement of the second phase construction of the Jabal al-Saraj cement plant in Parwan province. According to officials from the administration, once completed, the plant’s production capacity will reach 10,000 tons of cement within 24 hours.
The Taliban media center announced the project launch on Wednesday during a meeting in Parwan. Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Administrative Head of the Taliban Cabinet, stated that the implementation and funding of the project are being carried out by the National Development Company under the supervision of the Taliban administration.
Hanafi claimed that upon completion, Afghanistan will not only meet its domestic cement demand but will also be able to export cement to other countries. However, no specific details were provided regarding the exact timeline for operational commencement, target export markets, or how financial transparency of the project will be ensured.
Previously, in 2023, the contract for the first phase of this plant was signed with a Qatari company valued at $220 million. Additionally, in 2018, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of the former Afghan government announced that the construction of the plant’s second phase, with an investment of $170 million and an annual production capacity of one million tons of cement, would be put out to tender.
The Jabal al-Saraj cement plant, established in 1958 with an investment of 10 million Afghanis, is considered one of the country’s oldest industrial facilities. However, its operations have been intermittently halted over time due to various reasons. It remains to be seen how sustainably this project can be implemented under current circumstances and what impact it will have on Afghanistan’s labor market and construction industry.
