Domestic Production Surges in Kandahar Following Closure of Trade Routes with Pakistan

After the closure of trade routes with Pakistan, domestic production in Kandahar province has increased significantly, with several factories managing to partially fill the gap left by imports. Officials at a local spice production factory report that the factory’s daily output capacity has risen from one ton to six tons.

Karimullah Hakimi, the manager of this factory, said that nearly one million dollars have been invested in the facility, creating employment opportunities for 20 people. According to him, the factory’s products are now distributed to 34 provinces across the country, meeting a substantial portion of market demand.

Workers at this factory state that various medicinal herbs and natural spices are processed domestically and packaged to standard before being marketed.

Meanwhile, officials from the Kandahar Chamber of Mines and Industries have reported an increase in production at the province’s industrial park and growing public interest in domestic goods. Said Sarwar Amani, the head of this chamber, said that since the closure of the borders with Pakistan, both production levels have risen and the residents’ attitudes towards using locally made products have changed.

With reduced imports from Pakistan, Kandahar is increasingly striving to meet market needs through domestic production — a trend that experts believe, if supported sustainably, could strengthen the local economy and reduce trade dependency.