MAIMANA (Pajhwok): A number of plasterers and gypsum producers in northern Faryab say gypsum production has come to a halt and processing factories have stopped operating in the province, causing the price of gypsum to double in markets.
Meanwhile, officials at the Department of Mines and Petroleum in Faryab confirm gypsum factories have stopped opearing due to the lack of processing licenses and the termination of "Khosh Khareed" contract. They say this issue will be resolved once the mining contract is handed over to a designated company.
Ghulam Sakhi, a resident of Maimana city, says he built six new rooms in his house, but due to the rising price of gypsum, he has been unable to complete the work.
Najibullah, one of the plasterers, told Pajhwok that the rising prices of gypsum in the market had rendered people unable to carry out construction and renovation works in their homes. He said could not find work for most of days.
Abdullah Sarkhabi, a gypsum seller in Maimana city, said after the price of gypsum doubled in market, their sales dropped by about 80 percent, as people were unwilling to buy it at high prices.
He said that previously, a 25 kg bag of locally produced gypsum in Faryab was sold for 80 afghanis, but now he imported gypsum from Balkh province, and due to transport costs, a 24 kg sack ended up for 140 afghanis.
Meanwhile, Rohullah Aimaq, owner of a gypsum processing factory in Maimana, said for nearly four months, the Ministry of Mines had banned the extraction of gypsum from local mines, forcing them to halt production.
He explained that in the past, factory owners would purchase required raw gypsum through a "Khosh Khareed" arrangement with the Ministry of Mines and then would pay for it at the bank.
However, he has heard that a new monopoly may be established, where one company will have exclusive rights to the gypsum mine, which would harm both factory owners and the public.
He added that until three months ago, a 25 kg sack of Faryab-produced gypsum was sold for 75 afghanis, but due to the suspension of factories, a 24 kg sack of gypsum from Mazar-i-Sharif is now sold for 130-140 afghanis in Maimana city.
Haji Salim Bek, the head of gypsum factory owners association in Shirin Tagab district, says that about four months ago, the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum canceled the gypsum mining contract, which caused the closure of factories. As a result, the price of gypsum in the province has increased twofold.
He explained that in Shirin Tagab district, 24 gypsum factories were operational, with each producing between 1,000 and 2,000 tons of gypsum annually. After the mining ban and the closure of factories, not only did factory owners incur losses, but between 10 to 20 workers from each factory, who were the breadwinners for their families, also lost their jobs.
He added that for the past month, he and several other factory owners have been in Kabul to negotiate a new mining contract.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has approved their request, but they are still waiting for confirmation from the Economic Department of the Office of the Prime Minister. Once approved, gypsum production and processing will resume.
He added: "With the new contract, the price of gypsum in Faryab will decrease, but not to the levels of four months ago, because the new contract includes restrictions on mining, weighing scales will be installed, and the trucks carrying gypsum will be weighed. Additionally, there are costs and waste involved in gypsum production."
On the other hand, Maulvi Mohammad Nabi Shaidayee, the head of the Department of Mines and Petroleum in Faryab, says that the suspension of the gypsum factories is due to their lack of processing licenses and the assignment of the mining contract to a specific company.
He explained that the former acting minister of Mines and Petroleum had signed individual contracts with factory owners for gypsum extraction, but this arrangement did not bring any positive changes in the mining sector. Now, the new acting minister plans to hand the mine over to a specific company to ensure standardized extraction, land reclamation, road construction, and social services in the area.
Regarding concerns about potential monopoly over the mine, he said, "Previously, the price of one ton of gypsum was agreed at 400 afghanis through the 'Khosh Khareed' arrangement, but in the new contract, the price has been set at 250 afghanis per ton. The contract includes monitoring of the extraction, processing, and distribution process, and no one will be allowed to raise prices in the market at will."
The head of Faryab's Department of Mines also clarified that some factories were sealed due to a lack of processing licenses, while others were unable to operate because of the lack of gypsum raw materials.
He added that the request for a contract with a specific company has been approved by the Ministry and forwarded to the Economic Commission. Once the commission approves the contract, the factories will resume operations, and the price of gypsum will decrease in the market.
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