The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MoAIL) has inaugurated a new cold storage facility in Kabul, saying it will help reduce agricultural waste, cut imports, and strengthen the economy.
In a post on X, the ministry stated: “A fresh fruit cold storage facility, named ‘Habib Jamalzai Cold Storage’, with a capacity of 3,000 metric tonnes, has been inaugurated at a cost of 30 million US dollars on six jeribs (three acres) of land in the Deh Sabz Industrial Park, Kabul Province.”
According to the ministry, the facility was officially opened in the presence of Mawlawi Sadr Azam Osmani, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, along with officials from the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock, the Agricultural Development Fund, and local authorities.
Speaking at the ceremony, the deputy minister emphasised the importance of establishing large, standardised cold storage facilities, noting that such infrastructure can prevent crop losses during harvest seasons and represents a critical need for farmers, traders, and citizens.
He also called on the private sector to increase investment in this area.
Meanwhile, Khan Mohammad Frotan, head of the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock, described cold storage facilities as essential for reducing imports, preserving the quality and safety of agricultural products, and strengthening the national economy.
He added that these projects also play a significant role in creating employment opportunities.
Frotan further noted that nearly 110 small and large cold storage facilities have been newly established, renovated, and put into operation in Kabul this year.
At the same event, Mirwais Hajizada, Deputy Head of the Chamber of Agriculture, expressed concern over the closure of trade routes with neighbouring countries during harvest seasons.
He urged traders and investors to invest domestically to support the growth of local production.
The announcement comes as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has introduced a five-year tax exemption for cold storage developers to encourage investment in the sector.
Source - https://pajhwok.com
