KABUL, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Afghan authorities are set to inaugurate a major iron manufacturing plant with an investment of 50 million U.S. dollars in northern Samangan province, the provincial government said on Thursday.
According to a statement issued by the provincial administration, the project is being developed in five phases on a 240,000-square-meter site. It is the first large-scale factory in Samangan dedicated to the production of iron products.
The plant will have a daily production capacity of 1,500 tons and will manufacture a variety of iron products, including reinforcing bars, girders, shovels, pickaxes and railway tracks, the statement said.
More than 100 workers have already been employed during the construction phase of the project. Once fully operational, the factory is expected to create direct employment opportunities for nearly 1,000 people, contributing to economic growth and job creation in the province.
According to official figures, nearly 50 iron smelting and manufacturing factories are currently operating across Afghanistan. Together, they produce around 6,000 tons of iron products daily and provide jobs for approximately 30,000 people nationwide. ■
