Raisin Processing Factory with an Annual Capacity of 10,000 Metric Tons Inaugurated

Today, July 30, 2025, the Deputy PM for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, officially inaugurated a raisin processing factory in the Estalif district of Kabul province. He described the factory’s launch as a significant step toward enhancing the value of agricultural products, stating that it would help boost the local economy, standardize exports, and create employment opportunities for hundreds of citizens—thus making a meaningful contribution to national economic growth.

The Deputy PM emphasized that, alongside other sectors, the Islamic Emirate has given particular attention to agriculture. Multiple water management projects have been initiated to support the development of the agricultural economy. He further noted that the Islamic Emirate has facilitated the export of agricultural products to regional and global markets, organized trade fairs for their promotion, and increased tariffs on imported goods that have domestic alternatives.

He added that the Islamic Emirate has prioritized the use of domestic agricultural products to strengthen the sector, and that improvements have been made in irrigation systems, the establishment of cold storage facilities, and the development of processing and packaging units. He stressed that export quality and packaging of agricultural products are crucial for preserving Afghanistan’s credibility and strengthening commercial ties.

The Deputy PM stated that the Islamic Emirate has focused extensively on enhancing regional connectivity to increase trade volume. He highlighted that Afghanistan’s railway network has expanded, helping to strengthen and broaden trade relations with numerous countries. He also mentioned ongoing efforts to fully operationalize the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, and noted that discussions were held with relevant countries during the recent ECO summit to facilitate Afghanistan’s access to European markets.

During the factory’s inauguration, the Deputy PM underlined the key role of the private sector and investors in national economic development. He stated that various facilitative measures have been introduced for investors. In addition to agriculture and industry, he invited investment in the mining, energy, telecommunications, transport, and service sectors.

In conclusion, Deputy PM Mullah Baradar Akhund welcomed the investment and launch of operations by the Afghan Samoon Raisin Processing Factory and assured full support. He urged the factory’s leadership to prioritize quality over quantity and to ensure standard processing and packaging to improve the competitiveness of Afghan exports.

Notably, the Samoon Raisin Processing Factory is built on 128 jeribs of land, with an investment of 8 million USD. The facility has the capacity to process 10,000 metric tons of raisins annually. The processed and packaged raisins will be exported to Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, India, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and countries in East Asia.