Province 12 of 34 | West

Herat هرات

Herat has a diversified agri-economy, with saffron and raisins as export lines and Iranian and Turkmen border trade. Border-district marketplaces can serve both producers and cross-border traders.

Capital: Herat
Region: West
Area: 61,510 km²
Population 2025–26: 2,383,202
Density: 39 per km²
Districts: 16

Map of candidate marketplace sites and their road catchments in Herat — Orange pin: candidate site. Olive shading: 60-minute catchment (dotted line: 30 minutes). Square: provincial center. Circle: existing market. Brown shading: population density.

US$ 12.2 million

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 6.1 million to US$ 18.3 million)

42,218

producer households benefit commercially (100,653 get market access within 60 min)

316,141

underserved rural people get market access within 60 min

331

direct jobs, base case (+530 indirect jobs)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Pastun Zarghun Market town

District: Pashtun Zarghun

Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers

To nearest existing market: 36 km, 55 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 47,490

34.2981, 62.6809
2Toraghundi Market town

District: Koshk

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 83 km, 113 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 15,182

35.2434, 62.2841
3Zindah Jan Market town

District: Zanda Jan

Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers

To nearest existing market: 42 km, 51 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 63,497

34.3426, 61.7467

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH within 60 min
1	Pastun Zarghun Market town	Pashtun Zarghun	Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers	34.2981, 62.6809	36 km 55 min	47,490
2	Toraghundi Market town	Koshk	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	35.2434, 62.2841	83 km 113 min	15,182
3	Zindah Jan Market town	Zanda Jan	Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers	34.3426, 61.7467	42 km 51 min	63,497

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Saffron
Grape & raisin
Wheat
Pistachio
Cumin
Sheep & dairy

Farming system: High-value tree crops (US$ 1,150 sales per participating household)

Producer groups: smallholder farmers, livestock and dairy keepers, household enterprises, small processors and traders

Crafts: Silk (Zindajan), carpets, glass

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 Pastun Zarghun	12,189	54,608	121,208	47,490	15,755	26%
2 Toraghundi	19,245	1,930	1,093	15,182	14,146	93%
3 Zindah Jan	9,687	141,713	35,652	63,497	14,613	17%

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: All 3 sites on a main road
Hard-standing, parking and safe entry from the highway
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 saffron, grape & raisin 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	All 3 sites on a main road	Hard-standing, parking and safe entry from the highway	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 saffron, grape & raisin 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$ 5.1 million	US$ 1.3 million	US$ 6.1 million	196	314
Base	20%	US$ 10.2 million	US$ 2.6 million	US$ 12.2 million	331	530
High	30%	US$ 15.4 million	US$ 4 million	US$ 18.3 million	467	747

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 (31–32) | Method, assumptions and sources