Province 20 of 34 | East
Laghman لغمان
Laghman's citrus and rice valleys feed Jalalabad and Kabul. Collection and cool storage closer to Alishang and Alingar improve prices for perishable fruit.
- Capital
- Mehtarlam
- Region
- East
- Area
- 3,900 km²
- Population 2025–26
- 538,040
- Density
- 138 per km²
- Districts
- 5
Potential marketplace network Estimated
-
1Lalkhanabad Market town
District: Qarghayi
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 23 km, 32 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 112,514
-
2Dowlat Shah Market town
District: Daulatshahi
Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers
To nearest existing market: 23 km, 71 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 13,763
-
3Alingar District center
District: Alingar
Producer marketplace and aggregation center
To nearest existing market: 24 km, 119 min
Producer HH ≤60 min: 4,660
| # | Site | District | Likely role | Lat, Lon | To nearest existing market | Producer HH ≤60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lalkhanabad Market town | Qarghayi | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 34.5470, 70.2444 | 23 km 32 min | 112,514 |
| 2 | Dowlat Shah Market town | Daulatshahi | Aggregation hub linking to wholesale buyers | 34.9504, 70.0710 | 23 km 71 min | 13,763 |
| 3 | Alingar District center | Alingar | Producer marketplace and aggregation center | 34.8231, 70.4126 | 24 km 119 min | 4,660 |
Local products and producer groups Strong secondary
- Citrus (orange)
- Rice
- Maize & wheat
- Vegetables
- Honey
Farming system: Irrigated horticulture (US$ 950 sales per participating household)
Producer groups: smallholder farmers, livestock and dairy keepers, women's household enterprises, small processors and traders
Crafts: Mats, woodwork
Market catchment and accessibility Estimated
| Site | HH ≤30 min | HH 30–60 min | HH 60–90 min | Producer HH ≤60 min | Addressable | Underserved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Lalkhanabad | 46,013 | 115,518 | 121,095 | 112,514 | 22,025 | 2% |
| 2 Dowlat Shah | 7,404 | 7,589 | 24,250 | 13,763 | 7,954 | 47% |
| 3 Alingar | 45 | 5,036 | 16,185 | 4,660 | 2,779 | 98% |
HH = households of 7.7 people (ALCS 2016–17). The primary indicator is producer households within 60 minutes by road.
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 citrus (orange), 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 | 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 citrus (orange), 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$ 3.1 m | US$ 963 k | US$ 3.9 m | 146 | 234 |
| Base | 20% | US$ 6.2 m | US$ 1.9 m | US$ 7.7 m | 232 | 371 |
| High | 30% | US$ 9.3 m | US$ 2.9 m | US$ 11.6 m | 318 | 509 |
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 (47–48) | Method, assumptions and sources