ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 14. Afghanistan is set to supply Turkmenistan with 150,000 tons of locally produced steel reinforcement bars in 2025, Trend reports via the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Abdul Salam Jawad, stated that Afghanistan has achieved self-sufficiency in steel reinforcement production and is now capable of exporting significant volumes of the product abroad.
According to him, steel reinforcement plants employ between 3,000 and 4,000 workers. Afghanistan is actively engaged in regional trade. Last year, the country exported 60,000 tons of steel reinforcement to Pakistan, and the contract has been signed to export 150,000 tons to Turkmenistan this year.
However, despite the progress, Afghan steelmakers cite electricity shortages as the primary challenge facing the industry. According to the industry’s representatives, there are electricity shortages even during a single shift.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Steel Manufacturers Association has called on the government to allocate iron ore mines to support the sector.
