JALALABAD (PAN): The old Olive Factory, that was re-started after three years, in the eastern province of Nangahar on Wednesday, will produce 10 tons of pickles and 40 tons of olive oil in the next season.

The factory was established in 1363 (check date), but damaged due to fighting in the country. At that time, it was producing 40,000 tons of oil and 4,000 tons of pickles on yearly basis.

Head of the factory Eng. Ghulam Gul told Pajhwok Afghan News the produce of olive farms drastically reduced due to fighting in the country in the past years. He said the damage to farms finally halted production at the factory.

He said major part of the factory and two farms had been reconstructed and it would start production soon. Gul said an amount of eight million dollars, provided by different donor countries, was spent on reconstruction of the factory.

He said the fourth farm was reconstructed with the assistance of the US-led provincial reconstruction team (PRT) while amount for reconstruction of the second farm was provided from the government budget.

He said the factory was working under the canal department and its products would be introduced in the market by the same department.

Rahimullah, a shop owner at the Makhabirat Square in Jalalabad, said the products of this factory was far better than that of factories in Iran and Turkey. He said half kilogram of olive oil was sold for 230 Afs.

Head of the canal department in Nangarhar Eng. Hakeem told this news agency efforts were underway to reconstruct the second and third farm olive farms. He said the factory had 800 employees before the breaking out of war. Hakeem said only 85 people were working there now.

dk