Province 04 of 34 | North
Balkh بلخ
Agricultural hinterland of Mazar-i-Sharif, the northern trade hub with rail and road links to Uzbekistan. Rural marketplaces in the western and southern districts can feed export-oriented aggregators.
- Capital
- Mazar-i-Sharif
- Region
- North
- Area
- 14,285 km²
- Population 2025–26
- 1,595,814
- Density
- 112 per km²
- Districts
- 15
Potential marketplace network Estimated
-
1Char Bolak District center
District: Chahar Bolak
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 38 km, 52 min
Producer HH within 60 min: 72,882
-
2Keshindeh Market town
District: Kishindih
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 68 km, 118 min
Producer HH within 60 min: 22,908
-
3Dawlat Abad District center
District: Dawlatabad
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 48 km, 105 min
Producer HH within 60 min: 12,200
| # | Site | District | Likely role | Lat, Lon | To nearest existing market | Producer HH within 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Char Bolak District center | Chahar Bolak | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 36.8079, 66.6874 | 38 km 52 min | 72,882 |
| 2 | Keshindeh Market town | Kishindih | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 36.0835, 66.8403 | 68 km 118 min | 22,908 |
| 3 | Dawlat Abad District center | Dawlatabad | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 37.0729, 66.7799 | 48 km 105 min | 12,200 |
Local products and producer groups Strong secondary
- Wheat
- Melon & watermelon
- Cotton
- Sesame & flax
- Almond & apricot
- Karakul sheep
Farming system: Mixed farming (US$ 750 sales per participating household)
Producer groups: smallholder farmers, livestock and dairy keepers, household enterprises, small processors and traders
Crafts: Carpets, karakul pelts
Market catchment and accessibility Estimated
| Site | HH within 30 min | HH 30–60 min | HH 60–90 min | Producer HH within 60 min | Commercially addressable | Underserved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Char Bolak | 16,842 | 127,056 | 42,772 | 72,882 | 24,436 | 28% |
| 2 Keshindeh | 7,706 | 20,095 | 16,193 | 22,908 | 16,281 | 98% |
| 3 Dawlat Abad | 3,973 | 11,222 | 19,327 | 12,200 | 8,467 | 95% |
HH = households of 7.7 people (ALCS 2016–17). The primary indicator is producer households within 60 minutes by road. Underserved % is the share of rural people within 60 minutes of the candidate site who are currently more than 60 minutes from an existing market. Commercially addressable households refer to producer HH.
Infrastructure requirements
Road accessEstimated
Current situation: 1 of 3 sites on a main road; others on rural roads or tracks
All-weather access road, hard-standing and turning area for trucks
ElectricityStrong secondary
Current situation: Grid reaches about 40% of Afghans nationally; rural sites mostly off-grid
Solar plus battery for lighting, weighing, phone charging and cold rooms; grid tie where a line passes
Solar potentialStrong secondary
Current situation: About 300 sunny days a year; high irradiance nationwide
Rooftop PV on market sheds (indicative 20 to 60 kWp per site)
Internet & mobileAssumption
Current situation: Mobile connections equal 52% of the population; district centers usually covered
Mobile money and price-information kiosk; verify signal on site
Dry storageEstimated
Current situation: Few formal stores outside provincial centers
Warehouse for wheat, melon & watermelon with pallets and pest control
Cold storageEstimated
Current situation: Rare outside major cities
Solar cold room or evaporative store for fruit, vegetables and dairy
Water, sanitation & loadingAssumption
Current situation: Not assessed at site level
Borehole, washing area, separate latrines for women and men; loading bays, livestock pens, certified scales
| Infrastructure | Current situation | Requirement | Evidence status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road access | 1 of 3 sites on a main road; others on rural roads or tracks | All-weather access road, hard-standing and turning area for trucks | Estimated |
| Electricity | Grid reaches about 40% of Afghans nationally; rural sites mostly off-grid | Solar plus battery for lighting, weighing, phone charging and cold rooms; grid tie where a line passes | Strong secondary |
| Solar potential | About 300 sunny days a year; high irradiance nationwide | Rooftop PV on market sheds (indicative 20 to 60 kWp per site) | Strong secondary |
| Internet & mobile | Mobile connections equal 52% of the population; district centers usually covered | Mobile money and price-information kiosk; verify signal on site | Assumption |
| Dry storage | Few formal stores outside provincial centers | Warehouse for wheat, melon & watermelon with pallets and pest control | Estimated |
| Cold storage | Rare outside major cities | Solar cold room or evaporative store for fruit, vegetables and dairy | Estimated |
| Water, sanitation & loading | Not assessed at site level | Borehole, washing area, separate latrines for women and men; loading bays, livestock pens, certified scales | Assumption |
Economic opportunity and employment Estimated Assumption
| Scenario | Participation | Producer sales | Other trading | Total turnover | Direct jobs | Indirect jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 10% | US$ 3.7 million | US$ 1.4 million | US$ 4.8 million | 168 | 269 |
| Base | 20% | US$ 7.4 million | US$ 2.9 million | US$ 9.7 million | 275 | 440 |
| High | 30% | US$ 11.1 million | US$ 4.3 million | US$ 14.5 million | 383 | 613 |
Site columns are summed. The total is de-duplicated where catchments overlap.
Evidence
Population: strong secondary province totals, estimated catchments. Travel time: estimated from the OpenStreetMap road model. Products: strong secondary. Turnover and jobs: assumption parameters applied to estimated households. Site conditions: unknown until field validation.
Open these pages in the PDF (15–16) | Method, assumptions and sources