Amid an intensified civil war in the country, traders from western Afghanistan have been organizing the sixth expo of domestic products titled “Peace and Self-Sufficiency” in Herat, the third largest city in Afghanistan. The expo, which opened on Sunday, will be held for ten days. 

Forty expos have been held in the last four months, Afghanistan’s Industry Minister Nisar Ahmad Ghoryani said, adding that more than $200 million has also been invested in industrial estates.

“We got more than $200 million investments and inaugurations as you have witnessed. Many of them [investments] were in Herat and five factories were inaugurated,” Ghoryani, who was there at the time of inauguration, was quoted as saying by Ariana News. 

Afghan industrialists said factories in the country can produce at least 27 items alone in Herat, which is also capital of Herat province situated in the fertile valley of the Hari river, enough to address the needs of local markets. However, they lack policy support from the government, which allows similar products to be imported from outside the country and sold at a cheaper price, they said. 

“The government has not supported us so far,” Hamidullah Khadim, the head of the Herat’s Chamber of Industries and Mines, said, adding, “We want to show the government that supporting [domestic production] is their obligation and responsibility.” 

(SAM)