Iron processing factory opens in Herat

HERAT CITY (PAN): A massive iron processing and melting factory, an $8 million private sector project, was inaugurated on Tuesday at the industrial park in western Herat province, officials said.

Commerce and Industries Minister Anwarul Haq Ahadi, Economic Minister Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal, Herat Governor Daud Shah Saba and industrialists attended the inauguration ceremony.

Ahadi, calling establishment of the factory a giant leap towards bringing about industrial revolution, said the government supported such projects.

He said the factory would help meet domestic demand for iron-made goods, saying the government was ready to support domestic products by increasing levy on import of the same goods from outside.

The factory, Kabul Folad, has already started producing 80 tonnes of iron on a daily basis, said Hamidullah Khadim, Herat industrialist union head.

He said 200 workers, including 80 technical workers from Pakistan, have been hired at the facility, which he hoped would result into decreased export of iron from the country’s mines abroad.

The factory’s director, Ismatullah Wardak said required machines were purchased from the UK, Germany, India and Pakistan.

Under a four-year plan devised in line with domestic demand, he said they planned to increase iron production to 400 tonnes per day.

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