Shortage of electricity and land has halted industrial activity.
Factories have shut in the provinces, and also in the Afghan capital. The industrialists’ union in Kandahar reports the closure of 200 manufacturing units in the province because of chronic power outages. Factory owners have been demanding electricity not just for themselves but for the entire province. Ruhullah Habib from the union says, “The government doesn’t pay attention and doesn’t solve our problems.”
Factories that have closed include those making soap, juices, plasticware and processed foods that provided jobs to roughly 4,000 people. “Many families face hunger,” says Fazelhaq Mashkanai, an assistant in the Kandahar Chamber of Commerce & Industries.
Ahmadullah Noorzai, a resident of Loya Weyala of Arghandab district who was working in a plasticware factory that has shut says his job was his family’s only source of food. “I don’t know any other profession,” he says hoping the factory will soon reopen. “I have worked in this factory for many years, and it gave me money to give my children three meals a day. If this money were to permanently stop God knows what would be our situation! I fear my children may go hungry.”
Noorzai accuses the government of not working for poor people.
Ahmad Ludin, another factory worker, wonders how he will survive if his salary of 12,000 Afs (180 USD) was to stop. “There are no other jobs. My nine-member family lives on my salary,” he says.
Local authorities in Kandahar plan to send a delegation to Kabul to find a solution to the crisis, says Samim Khpalwak, spokesperson for the Kandahar governor. “We have shared the problems of industrialists with the acting governor of Kandahar but it concerns the centre (Kabul) mostly and that is why we will ask for the assistance of Kabul regarding Breshna (electricity utility).” Earlier, 10 MW of electricity were provided for industrial units in Kandahar but ever since the responsibility for Breshna was handed over to the Afghan government factories have faced problems. Kandahar needs 150 MW electricity but it can get only 15 MW from Kajaki dam in Helmand province.
Wahidullah Tawhidi, Breshna spokesperson, insists industrial parks are a priority for the company. “We are doing our best to provide enough electricity to Kandahar and other provinces but this takes time; people should be patient,” he says.
Scarce land
An acute shortage of land is a second problem facing industry. Though factories have been inaugurated in many provinces, there are no facilities in industrial parks. Time and again industrialists’ unions have warned the government that factories are at risk of closure. The latest statement was made on Feb 18 by Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, head of the Afghanistan Industrialists’ Union. He asked the national unity government to implement the promise made to industry. “The government said it would give land, but it has not given anything.”
Baz Mohmmad Afsarzai, a deputy in the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries wishes the Ministry of Commerce and Industries had a plan for the support and development of industry. “The government must provide them with facilities. If this continues, they (industry) are not given land and electricity, many factories would close,” he says. There are some 2,100 industrial units across the country. At least one hundred are likely to shut because land has not been allotted.
All is, however, not bleak with industry. There is hope in new plants for processing milk in Kunduz and rice mills in Nangarhar. Apart from the prospect of jobs, business could be good with plans to sell to countries in the region.
