HERAT, Afghanistan — The central grain silo in Herat, once a cornerstone of Afghanistan’s food security infrastructure, is on the verge of collapse, officials of the facility warned, citing a lack of contracts, salary delays, and aging machinery that has gone unrepaired for decades.
Built more than 50 years ago during the presidency of Mohammad Daoud, the silo was designed to store up to 20,000 metric tons of wheat and produce 20,000 loaves of bread daily. Today, its operations have dwindled to a fraction of their capacity. Only 12 of the original 170 staff remain employed, largely tasked with overseeing a diminished wheat reserve.
“The silo is near total paralysis,” said Ahmad Sabit, the facility’s director. “We once had steady contracts with government institutions, but without that support, we can’t survive.”
Inside the silo’s sprawling complex, the once-bustling bakery lies dormant. Technical staff say machinery dating back to the 1970s has deteriorated beyond repair, with maintenance halted amid chronic budget shortfalls.
“We are operating with obsolete tools,” said Farhad Mojahidzada, a manager at the facility. “Our equipment is over 50 years old. Without immediate intervention, this entire system could collapse.”
Emad Hussaini, the silo’s administrative chief, said the absence of procurement agreements—particularly from the military and other state institutions—has deprived the facility of its main source of income. “We urgently need help from both the central and provincial governments,” he said. “Without it, the silo will become completely defunct.”
Officials in Herat’s provincial administration say they are aware of the silo’s dire condition. Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi, a spokesman for the governor, said efforts are underway to restore supply agreements and revive the facility’s core operations.
The Herat silo is one of five state-run storage centers in Afghanistan, alongside similar facilities in Kabul, Balkh, Kandahar, and Baghlan. Once central to the country’s food distribution network, these sites now face a shared fate: shrinking budgets, crumbling infrastructure, and institutional neglect amid a worsening economic crisis.
