‘Afghanistan almost achieves self-reliance in flour production’

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Around 200 flour mills operating in Afghanistan now, and the country has almost achieved self-reliance in flour production, flour mill owners said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference here, owners of the flour mills hailed the acting government’s decision to increase duty on flour import and decrease duty on wheat import.

Mohammad Yousuf Shahbaz, head the Flour Mills Union, said that currently around 200 flour mills operated nationwide and Afghanistan almost achieved self-reliance in wheat production.

He termed government support in this regard vital and said if government support flour mills they could export flour to other destinations.

He said much investment had been made in the flour production in the country which reached almost $600 million.

He said in Afghanistan 99 percent wheat are purchased by flour mills, but he expressed concern that recently there was 40 percent surge in the wheat price.

Shabaz said each factory hired around 250 workers and if flour mills get government support more people could be hired.

Sayed Mubashir Sadaat, acting head of the Chamber of Indusry and Mining, said that Afghanistan currently achieved sel-reliance in 137 production sectors.

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