(MENAFN- Pajhwok Afghan News)
JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Blacksmiths in Jalalabad city, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, say their business is almost on the verge of collapse due to the import of similar products from abroad.
Dozens of large and small blacksmith shops exist in Ahargran street in the third Police district of the provincial capital, which produce knives, sickles, shovels, axes and other farming and construction tools.
Owners of these shops say the import of similar and low quality tools has negatively impacted their business.
Zabihullah, who inherited this business from his father, said that he could produce all kinds of iron tools with quality much higher than imported tools.
He said:“We produce shovels, hatchets, axes, sickles, other farming and construction tools, but the import of the same and low quality tools has affected our business.”
He grumbled about low quality tools imported from Pakistan, China and other foreign countries while they produce high quality products.
He added people buy shiny and cheap imported tools.“We ask the government to support domestic products so our business can grow”.
Fazal Mohammad, another metalworker, said he inherited the art from his father and grandfather, but recently the importation of low-quality similar tools had affected their business.
The blacksmiths urged the caretaker government to increase taxes on imported tools in order to save this national industry from collapse.
Haji Gul, a blacksmith, urged people to purchase domestic products and asked the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to increase taxes on similar tools from abroad.
On the other hand, Commerce and Industry Department officials say they are trying to address problems of blacksmiths in the province.
Shakrullah Stanikzai, an official of the department, said this department was trying to solve problems of industrialists.
kk/ma
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