GHAZNI CITY (SW) – A number of blacksmiths in Ghazni say that the import of iron products from other countries has caused the industry market to stagnate and their income is decreasing day by day.
Zalmay, 72-year-old, resident of Ghazni who has spent 60 years of his life hammering iron and blacksmithing, now says the sluggishness of his work and the advanced production machines inside and outside the country have hurt him hard.
“The business has changed because there is no market. Many new machines have come. As blacksmiths, we only work for 200 to 300 afghanis during the harvest season, that’s all. We sit and wait the whole day, pay 2000 afghanis rent and for the security of the shop and at the end nothing is left for us,” he said.
Another blacksmith in Ghazni Hayatullah says that the import of blacksmith production tools, which are mostly agricultural and construction tools, enters the country from Pakistan and China, and the imported tools have replaced their products.
He adds: “The scythe comes from China and the ax comes from Pakistan, the sale of our own products have decreased a lot. The iron as well as the coal is expensive so whatever we make is expensive.”
The stagnation of the metal industry market in Ghazni has caused a number of blacksmiths in this province to move to other businesses or change their jobs.
Qurban Ali who switched from blacksmithing to driving, said that blacksmithing can no longer be a good business to earn money. Qurban Ali added: “The work of this industry has decreased a lot, blacksmithing has been discouraged because there is no income, people get discouraged and stop working.”
Abdul Khaliq who turned to retailing, also stated: “The items that came from Lahore, Pakistan and from China affected our work by 50-60% because they are cheap. We have nothing left of the things we used to make, and that’s why we have to stop working.”
However, local officials in Ghazni talk about supporting old industries in the province and say that the Islamic Emirate is committed to supporting old industries and small businesses.
Omar Ghaznawi, the spokesperson of the governor of Ghazni, told Salam Watandar that they have repeatedly emphasized on supporting the old industries. He added that the leadership of the Islamic Emirate has exempted small businessmen from tax and this can be applied in this province.
Ghazni is one of the ancient provinces of Afghanistan, whose citizens have been busy working in old industries such as blacksmithing, leather embroidering, and other embroideries. Many of these industries have now been replaced by machines and those associated with them are struggling to revive the past glory.
