Six months since the Afghan government announced that it had reduced the price of land for investors by a significant percentage at Kabul's industrial parks, it appears the new initiative has led to new hope among investors for new projects.
 
Government statistics indicate that over 500 local investors have filed application papers for investment in the parks since the initiative was announced by the government six months ago.
 
Office of Senior Advisor to the President in Banking and Finance, said on Thursday, the government so far has allotted land for at least 28 investors who are willing to invest in agricultural parks in the Barikab industrial park.
 
Jalaluddin Saeed is one of the investors who has initiated a grapes and pomegranates processing factory in the industrial park. Government allotted him 10 acres of land. “There (previously), we had no processing facilities,” said Saeed, who is a member of the High Economic Council (HEC).
 
“Most of the applicants are currently from Herat province, in the other 11 provinces, investors can each receive a square meter of land for 50 AFs,” said Sameer Rasa, head of the Public Relations Office of the Senior Advisor.
 
Alongside security threats, lack of access to land and lack of electricity are two key challenges which create an obstruction for investors and the local business community.