The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced on Friday that investment in the country’s cement production sector is expanding.

Ministry officials added that efforts are underway not only to achieve self-sufficiency in this sector but also to pave the way for exports.

According to the ministry, practical work has commenced on five major cement production projects factories located in Kandahar, Herat, Parwan, Jawzjan, and Logar with a total investment of $750 million. Some of these facilities are expected to become operational by the end of this year or early next year.

The ministry added that once these five factories become operational, Afghanistan will have the capacity to produce 15,000 tons of cement per day, increasing the country’s annual production to 5.5 million tons.

Humayoun Afghan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, said: “Together, these five factories have the capacity to produce 15,000 tons of cement per day, which adds up to approximately 5.5 million tons annually. This could make Afghanistan self-sufficient in cement and even enable exports.”

Meanwhile, officials from the Chamber of Commerce and Investment emphasized the importance of expanding investment in the country’s mining sector, noting that such investment could help Afghanistan overcome its economic crisis.

Economic experts also stated that targeted measures should be taken to encourage investment in cement production, so that with increased output, Afghanistan can not only meet domestic demand but also export to Central Asian countries.

Private sector representatives have also pointed out that cement prices in Afghanistan are rising steadily, while 90 percent of the cement available in the domestic market is still imported from neighboring countries.