Rotational Trucking System Creates Challenges for Herat’s Industries

The Herat Chamber of Industries and Mines says that due to the rotational system imposed on freight trucks, transporting products from the province’s industrial park to other provinces has become difficult.

According to officials from the chamber, there are not enough trucks available to move domestic products, a situation that has led to an increase in the prices of raw materials in markets across the country.

Mohammad Naser Amin, Head of the Herat Chamber of Industries and Mines, said: “A regulation has been introduced under which each province is assigned a separate turn. When we say we need trucks for Farah, Kandahar, or other provinces, no trucks are available. As a result, the prices of domestic products have increased in provinces such as Nangarhar and Balkh.”

A number of industrialists in Herat say that rising freight truck rental costs have also contributed to higher prices in many provinces.

Yar Ahmad Amiri, an industrialist, said: “The cost of transporting goods imported from countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia to Islam Qala or Dogharoon customs ranges from $1,800 to $2,000. However, from Islam Qala to Herat city a distance of only 120 kilometers the transport cost is between $1,400 and $1,500.”

Ghulam Farooq Momand, another industrialist, said: “Previously, we transported one ton of goods from Herat to Kabul for 2,500 Afghanis, when fuel cost 70 Afghanis per liter. Now, despite fuel prices dropping to 57 Afghanis per liter, the cost of transporting one ton has risen to 3,750 Afghanis, even though the roads have been asphalted.”

Local officials in Herat say freight truck rental costs in the province will decrease soon.

According to the spokesperson for the Herat governor, the issue has been raised with the relevant central authorities.

Mohammad Yusuf Saeedi, spokesperson for the Herat governor, said: “The local administration of Herat, in coordination with central offices of the Islamic Emirate, has taken steps to reduce freight truck rental costs, and we expect to see a decrease in the near future.”

It has been more than two years since the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation introduced a rotational system for freight trucks carrying commercial goods to provinces.

While the move was intended to ensure equal access for all freight trucks nationwide, traders, industrialists, and importers say it has driven up transport costs and left them with no control over the movement of their goods.