Construction Begins on Large Fruit Market with Cold Storage in Herat

Construction has begun on a large fruit market spanning 65 jeribs of land south of Herat city, at a cost of seven million US dollars. The market is being built by the private sector to store fresh domestic fruits and facilitate their export abroad. The project is expected to be completed within the next six months.

Project manager Ismatullah Jahani said 25 jeribs of land have been allocated for cold storage facilities, with each unit capable of storing 2,000 tons of fresh fruit, allowing a total capacity of more than 10,000 tons. "This initiative provides significant facilities for orchard owners, farmers, and national traders, especially in Herat province," Jahani said.

The market will also include 600 shops for the sale of fruits and vegetables. Head of the Herat Fruit Sellers’ Association Abdul Ahmad said the facility will prevent road blockages and inconveniences for people. Fruit seller Nasir Ahmad added that the large space will ensure smooth business operations without disturbances or overcrowding.

Herat Governor Sheikh Noor Ahmad Islam Jar stated that fruits preserved in the standard cold storage will supply markets during off-seasons and serve as a large market for northern Afghanistan. Local officials noted the fruits will be exported to foreign countries.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock has allocated 37,000 jeribs of land across provinces for cold storage and agricultural marketing centers. Deputy Minister Sadr Azam Osmani said the ministry plans to build standard cold storage in all provinces to preserve products for export.

The lack of standard cold storage remains a major challenge for farmers and orchard owners, leading to significant waste during harvest seasons due to falling domestic prices and limited exports.