Province 30 of 34 | North

Sar-e Pul سرپل

A largely rainfed and pastoral province with weak roads in the south. Sangcharak and Sozma Qala are the rural catchments with the most producers.

Capital: Sar-e Pol
Region: North
Area: 14,973 km²
Population 2025–26: 678,598
Density: 45 per km²
Districts: 7

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

US$ 5.8 million

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 2.9 million to US$ 8.7 million)

31,843

producer households benefit commercially (37,437 get market access within 60 min)

310,958

underserved rural people get market access within 60 min

188

direct jobs, base case (+301 indirect jobs)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Tukzar Market town

District: Sangcharak

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 38 km, 101 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 29,509

35.9568, 66.4283
2Tarkhuj Market town

District: Balkhab

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 40 km, 205 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 4,822

35.5017, 66.5064
3Pasnay Market town

District: Kohistanat

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 34 km, 158 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 3,105

35.7666, 65.7649

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH within 60 min
1	Tukzar Market town	Sangcharak	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	35.9568, 66.4283	38 km 101 min	29,509
2	Tarkhuj Market town	Balkhab	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	35.5017, 66.5064	40 km 205 min	4,822
3	Pasnay Market town	Kohistanat	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	35.7666, 65.7649	34 km 158 min	3,105

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Rainfed wheat
Sheep & goats (karakul)
Melon
Almond
Flax & sesame

Farming system: Livestock & cereal (US$ 600 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 Tukzar	23,778	11,980	5,459	29,509	24,783	94%
2 Tarkhuj	4,863	548	1,430	4,822	4,618	100%
3 Pasnay	1,697	1,845	3,484	3,105	2,441	100%

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 rainfed wheat, sheep & goats (karakul) with pallets and pest control
Cold storageEstimated
Current situation: Rare outside major cities
Not a first-phase priority; drying yards and ventilated stores instead
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 rainfed wheat, sheep & goats (karakul) with pallets and pest control	Estimated
Cold storage	Rare outside major cities	Not a first-phase priority; drying yards and ventilated stores instead	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$ 1.9 million	US$ 975,000	US$ 2.9 million	124	198
Base	20%	US$ 3.8 million	US$ 2 million	US$ 5.8 million	188	301
High	30%	US$ 5.7 million	US$ 2.9 million	US$ 8.7 million	252	403

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 (67–68) | Method, assumptions and sources