Province 31 of 34 | Northeast

Takhar تخار

Takhar has productive irrigated plains and rainfed hills, and its melons are renowned. Marketplaces in Dasht-e Qala, Rustaq and Ishkamish serve large rural populations far from Taloqan.

Capital: Taloqan
Region: Northeast
Area: 12,422 km²
Population 2025–26: 1,196,656
Density: 96 per km²
Districts: 17

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

US$ 11.1 million

base-case annual turnover (range US$ 5.6 million to US$ 16.7 million)

53,063

producer households benefit commercially (68,168 get market access within 60 min)

538,285

underserved rural people get market access within 60 min

307

direct jobs, base case (+491 indirect jobs)

Potential marketplace network Estimated

1Dasht-e Qala Market town

District: Dashti Qala

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 46 km, 91 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 32,566

37.1457, 69.4491
2Ishkamish Market town

District: Ishkamish

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 41 km, 97 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 21,380

36.3853, 69.3152
3Rustaq Market town

District: Rustaq

Producer marketplace and aggregation center

To nearest existing market: 49 km, 127 min

Producer HH within 60 min: 20,808

37.1415, 69.7991

#	Site	District	Likely role	Lat, Lon	To nearest existing market	Producer HH within 60 min
1	Dasht-e Qala Market town	Dashti Qala	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	37.1457, 69.4491	46 km 91 min	32,566
2	Ishkamish Market town	Ishkamish	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	36.3853, 69.3152	41 km 97 min	21,380
3	Rustaq Market town	Rustaq	Producer marketplace and aggregation center	37.1415, 69.7991	49 km 127 min	20,808

Local products and producer groups Strong secondary

Wheat
Rice
Melon & watermelon
Flax & sesame
Sheep & cattle

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, embroidery

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 Dasht-e Qala	14,273	23,001	46,669	32,566	23,473	92%
2 Ishkamish	10,439	13,622	31,957	21,380	15,856	89%
3 Rustaq	17,479	8,636	43,611	20,808	17,685	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 wheat, rice 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 wheat, rice 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$ 4.3 million	US$ 1.7 million	US$ 5.6 million	184	294
Base	20%	US$ 8.6 million	US$ 3.4 million	US$ 11.1 million	307	491
High	30%	US$ 12.8 million	US$ 5.1 million	US$ 16.7 million	431	690

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 (69–70) | Method, assumptions and sources