MAZAR-I-SHARIF: Uzbekistan plans to establish a textile factory in northern Afghanistan with an annual production capacity of 15,000 tons, officials said Monday.
According to a statement issued by the Balkh governor’s press office, Davron Vakhabov, chairman of the Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, announced the plan during a visit to Balkh province and a meeting with Balkh governor Mullah Mohammad Yousuf Wafa.
Vakhabov said the textile plant would not only contribute to industrial growth but also create employment opportunities for hundreds of residents in Balkh.
He added that 100 hectares of land in Balkh would be cultivated with “Sultan” variety cotton, which is regarded as high quality and valuable for the textile industry.
According to the statement, training and capacity-building programs for cotton farmers will also be launched to improve both crop quality and agricultural output in the province.
The Uzbek official further said improved potato seeds would soon be transported in refrigerated trucks to Bamyan province for distribution among local farmers.
Governor Wafa welcomed Uzbekistan’s cooperation with Afghan traders and industrialists, describing the two countries as “friends, brothers, and good neighbors.”
He said joint economic cooperation and investment between the two countries could play a significant role in economic growth, job creation, industrial development, and strengthening regional ties.
The announcement comes as Uzbek textile companies have recently shown interest in purchasing hundreds of tons of Afghan cotton after testing locally produced samples.
Uzbekistan to large huge textile factory in Balkh
