Russia vows to help increase Balkh’s Bershana Kot capacity

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): A Russian technical delegation has visited the Bershana Kot factory in northern Balkh province and pledged cooperation in the plant’s reconstruction and increasing its production capacity, an official said on Saturday.

Abdul Ghafoor Ahmadzai, deputy head of the factory, told Pajhwok Afghan News the factory produced around 200,000 sacks of chemical fertilizer and if its capacity increased, the production could double.

He said: “A Russian technical team visited the factory some time ago and promised to cooperate with us in increasing its production capacity."

He believed Afghanistan’s fertilizer and electricity needs will be met after rehabilitating and increasing the production capacity of the factory.

He added about 1,300 people were currently working in the factory and produced about 100 tonnes of chemical fertilizers on a daily basis, which could only meet thirteen percent of the country’s need.

According to him, the factory produced more than 200,000 sacks of fertilizers and 38 million kilowatts of electricity worth 47 million afghanis since the beginning of the current solar year.

On the other hand, engineers of the factory said if the unused parts of the factory were restored, the production capacity of the factory will rise to double.

Ismail, an engineer of the factory, said Bershana Kot factory was considered one of the largest government factories of the country.

He added the electricity generated in this factory not only met the needs of machinery, but also the electricity needs of thousands of families in the province.

Afghanistan needs more than 300,000 tonnes of chemical fertilizers every year, but only Bershana Kot factory is functioning in the country.

The Bershana Kot factory was established 50 years ago during the regime of Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan with financial support of Russia.

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