Work has officially started on Afghanistan’s first dedicated aluminium can production facility, marking a major milestone for the country’s domestic packaging sector.

Located in Herat’s industrial park, the $120 million (USD) private-sector project was formally inaugurated in a ceremony attended by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs. Construction is scheduled for completion within 12 months.

The state-of-the-art plant aims to replace the nation’s reliance on foreign imports by providing locally produced metal packaging for food and beverage applications, including canned food, tomato paste, soft drinks, energy drinks, and fruit juices.

“Construction work has officially started on a factory in the industrial park with an investment of 120 million dollars,” confirmed Herat Governor Noor Ahmad Islamjar. “This will be the first factory in Afghanistan to produce aluminium cans.”

Equipment for the facility is being sourced internationally to build a high-capacity production operation capable of supplying the entire domestic market.

Khalil Ahmad Shaheedzada, representing the facility, noted: “This factory will fulfill Afghanistan’s needs in the can manufacturing industry. Construction begins today and is expected to finish within a year, with equipment imported from various countries.”

The investment comes amid a broader expansion of Afghanistan’s manufacturing base. According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, around 3,000 new industrial facilities have opened nationwide over the past four years, bringing the total number of active plants to 6,500.

Mohammad Nasir Amin, head of the Herat Chamber of Mines and Industries, added that Herat’s industrial parks alone have seen an average of 300 new factories launched per year, providing strong domestic demand for locally sourced metal packaging.