Kandahar nears self-sufficiency in paper, carton production

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): The current level of carton and paper production in Kandahar province meets 80 percent demand of the southern provinces.

Director of a carton and paper production factory in Kandahar, Amin Karim, said, his factory produced 110,000 cartons in 24 hours and it has been operating since the past two decades.

Karim said: “Ninety workers work in his factory and our good quality products are sent to other southern provinces including Kabul.”

“Our country still imports such products because their prices abroad are low, if the government stops importing such products, we business can further thrive”, Karim said.

Karim said if his factory was provided enough electricity, their production of paper and carton products would respond to the needs of southern provinces of the country.

Abdul Hadi, a worker at the factory, said: “I am happy for the employment opportunity, but electricity shortage delays their work to be finished on time. He believed if the issue of electricity was addressed, many more such factories would be set up and more youth would be employed and the production level would increase as well.”

Manzor Ahmad, another carton factory owner, said all his workers were Afghan nationals and he saw no need for hiring foreign workers.

Manzor Ahmad said: “There were a number of foreign technicians and workers in the past, but now Afghan workers can solve all issues related to this profession.”

According to figures with the provincial Chamber of Commerce and Investment Department, right now there are four carton and paper production factories in Kandahar that respond to the needs of southern provinces.

The chamber head Sayed Sarwar Amani told Pajhwok Afghan News in the past only simple black & white carton was produced here, but now they produced varieties of cartons.

Amani said: “The current production of carton and paper responds to the needs of Kandahar, but some good quality and multi-colored cartons are sent to other provinces as well.”

Amani added efforts were underway to increase import duty on similar products to support the domestic products.

Businessmen of Kandahar have long been complaining about the shortages of electricity and imports of similar products from other countries. “If these issues are solved, our products will soon reach other countries as well,” some businessmen believed.

aw/ma