Business

Five cement factories to be built in Afghanistan: minister

Published

3 years ago

June 20, 2023

Five cement factories will be built soon in Afghanistan, Minister of Mines and Petroleum Shahabuddin Delawar said during a visit to Kandahar province.

Delawar said that once the factories become operational, hundreds of millions of dollars will not be spent on importing cement. He said this will be another step forward in helping the country become self-sufficient.

He also said that revenue generated through mining in the country has increased substantially in recent times.

“The world does not recognize us and makes various excuses, but we maintained stability of the Afghani currency. In 12 months, the revenue of the Ministry of Mines was 17.5 billion afghanis,” Delawar said.

The cement factories meanwhile will be built in Herat, Kandahar, Logar, Jawzjan and Parwan provinces. At present, only Ghori and Jabal al-Sarraj cement factories operate in the country. Cement produced by these two factories only partially meets the country’s needs.

Delawar’s visit to Kandahar comes after a number of contracts were awarded to mining companies to extract minerals in the province. The agreement with these companies was that they would also give back to the community by spearheading projects such as the construction of roads.

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UK-Afghanistan trade falls 16.7% to £70 million over 12 months

Published

20 hours ago

November 7, 2026

Ariana News

Trade in goods and services between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan declined by 16.7 percent to £70 million in the 12 months to the end of June 2026, according to the latest figures published by the UK Department for Business and Trade.

The department’s trade and investment factsheet, released on November 6, shows that bilateral trade fell by £14 million compared with the same period a year earlier.

UK exports to Afghanistan totalled £57 million, down 18.6 percent or £13 million, while imports from Afghanistan stood at £13 million, representing a 7.1 percent decline.

The figures show that goods accounted for £32 million, or 45.7 percent, of total trade, while services made up the remaining £38 million, or 54.3 percent.

UK exports to Afghanistan included beverages, pharmaceutical products, dairy products, road vehicles and industrial machinery.

Vegetables and fruit were the leading Afghan goods exports to the UK, worth £1.7 million. Clothing and textile fabrics were also among the main products exported.

The report ranks Afghanistan as the UK’s 166th-largest trading partner, accounting for less than 0.1 percent of the UK’s total trade during the period.

Business

Afghanistan and Russia discuss expanding trade and investment ties

Both sides highlighted the importance of closer cooperation between the Afghan and Russian private sectors.

Published

4 days ago

November 4, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan and Russia have discussed ways to strengthen bilateral trade, expand private-sector cooperation and attract new investment during a meeting in Kabul.

Inayatullah Sediqzi, Deputy Head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) for Services, met with Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov on the sidelines of an event marking Russia’s National Unity Day on Wednesday, November 4.

The event was hosted by the Russian Embassy in Kabul.

According to a statement from the ACCI, discussions focused on boosting economic relations, increasing bilateral trade and creating greater opportunities for businesspeople and investors from both countries.

Both sides highlighted the importance of closer cooperation between the Afghan and Russian private sectors, exploring new areas of economic partnership and establishing stronger direct links between their respective business communities.

The discussions reflect Afghanistan’s continued efforts to expand economic engagement with regional and international partners, with increased trade, private-sector development and foreign investment remaining key priorities.

Business

Afghanistan’s pine nut exports increase by 69 percent

Published

6 days ago

November 2, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s pine nut exports increased by 69 percent in the first seven months of the current solar year 1405 compared with the same period last year, reaching $72 million, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) says.

According to chamber officials, the value of pine nut exports stood at $42 million during the first seven months of last year. The product has been exported to European countries, India and, particularly, China.

Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce say they have taken steps since the beginning of the year to expand pine nut exports and identify new markets for the product.

However, some economic experts say pine nuts are among Afghanistan’s key export products and that relevant government ministries, particularly the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, should strengthen efforts to promote the product and secure access to new markets.

Afghan pine nuts are also exported to China, India, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Australia, Turkey, Austria and Kuwait.

Experts emphasize that pine nut packaging should be improved to meet the requirements and standards of different international markets in order to further increase exports.