KABUL, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Construction has begun on a major poultry production complex in northern Afghanistan's Balkh province, a project aimed at expanding domestic output and reducing reliance on imports, local media outlet TOLOnews reported on Wednesday.
The large-scale facility, developed in partnership with Uzbek investors, will produce eggs, day-old chicks, poultry meat and animal feed, said the report, adding that the 60 million U.S. dollars project will be built in three phases on more than 400 acres of plot in Mazar-i-Sharif city, the provincial capital, and will be completed within the next three years.
Once fully operational, the complex is expected to yield up to 30 million chickens, 330 million eggs, 45,000 tons of poultry meat and 33,000 tons of poultry feed annually, said the report.
Local authorities in Balkh described the initiative as a significant step toward advancing domestic production and achieving greater self-sufficiency in the poultry sector. They also urged other investors to channel capital into Afghanistan's productive industries, emphasizing the role of private sector engagement in supporting economic stability and employment. ■
