Afghanistan will increase its cement capacity with a new 1Mta cement plant, the Shur Andem cement project, located in Kandahar. The acting head of Kandahar’s Mines and Petroleum Department, Abdul Hanan Hamid, said the project represents an investment of US$100m.

“The production will be low initially but eventually, around 5000 people will be employed here,” said Abdul Rahim, head of the company.

Practical work in terms of cement production will start within one year, according TOLO news, but the contract for the project has already been awarded to an undisclosed private firm.

Kandahar has one of the largest cement raw material deposits in the country.