Afghanistan Industry
Along with mining and construction, the industry accounts for just over a fifth of Afghanistan’s GDP, but most factories are quite small and the proportion of employees in the industry has never amounted to...
Tagged: Afghanistan
On the terraces, exposed to the severe winter cold, the summer heat still cooks the finest grape varieties, apples, pears, almonds, peaches, quinces, apricots, plums and cherries thrive. The low and sheltered valleys even yield figs, olives and oranges. Dried and preserved, a lot of fruit is exported to India. The wine trade is also becoming important, as the Mohammedans themselves use very little wine, but the care of the grapes still leaves much to be desired. Horses, camels, cattle, sheep and goats are the main animals kept by the tribes still largely nomadic. The immigration of Turkish peoples promoted livestock breeding at the expense of agriculture. — The country is quite rich in minerals. Iron and copper and excellent coal have been found in relatively large quantities. The rivers contain gold, the mountainous lead, zinc, silver, alum, saltpeter, sulfur and many salts. In addition, many semi-precious (laze) stones are found. Good felt and silk articles, and especially expensive carpets of wool, goat and camel hair, are supplied by the native industry, while a modern textile factory has been set up in Kabul under European leadership. — This truly not poor or deprived country, which moreover has 3 important neighbours, could not rise economically after all. In part this will certainly be due to the Emir’s monopoly of trade over many articles, but certainly no less to the restless spirit of the inhabitants, who are not accustomed to regular labour. The land is naturally difficult to cross, has no connection to the sea, and the administrators have never made the effort to build good roads. Many merchants, called Powindas, still draw in caravans, See recipesinthebox for Afghanistan defense and foreign policy.