Construction Begins on $143 Million Gulbahar Cement Plant in Herat

DID Press: Construction has begun on the Gulbahar cement plant in Zindajan district of western Afghanistan’s Herat province, with an investment of $143 million. The project is expected to be completed within two years and will have a production capacity of 3,000 tonnes of cement per day.

Construction of the plant officially began on Aug. 9, 2026, according to the Afghan calendar. Once completed, the facility is expected to create about 5,000 direct and indirect jobs for Afghan citizens.

Experts say increasing domestic cement production could reduce Afghanistan’s reliance on imports and provide a boost to economic activity in Herat province.

The investment could also enable Afghanistan to export cement to neighboring countries, potentially strengthening the country’s position in regional markets.