An Afghan-Uzbek joint poultry farm producing chicks and broiler chickens has begun operating in Mazar-i-Sharif. Bakhtar, citing the Balkh Directorate of Agriculture and Livestock, reported an initial investment of $1 million.

Shareholder Karim Baryalai said the partners plan to increase investment to $5 million over five years and that the farm could supply three million to 10 million chicks per month. These are investor projections; the report provides no independently verified production or sales figures. A provincial official said Balkh has about 1,500 poultry farms, hatcheries and broiler facilities, around 500 of them regularly active.