ISPA: Four-month steel output up 17%
Iran’s crude steel production grew 17 percent during March 21-July 22, according to a report by Iranian Steel Producers Association (ISPA).
This is while, Iran’s imports of the product in this period witnessed a remarkable decline, announced Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO).
In the same time-span, Iranian steel companies produced 8.27 million tons of crude steel. The figure stood at more than 7.06 million tons during the same period last year.
In addition, during the four-month period ending July 22, Iran produced 6.98 million tons of steel products, including coil, girder, wide sheet, round bar, hot and cold rolled steel and galvanized sheet).
The figure shows a 10-percent increase year-on-year. During this period last year, it stood at 6.33 million tons.
Also, in this duration, Iran’s sponge iron output amounted to 8.60 million tons, showing a 19-percent growth compared to the figure for the same period a year ago.
Exports
During this time-span, Iran exported 2.48 million tons (16 percent higher year-on-year) of steel ingots and 898,000 tons (117 percent higher year-on-year) of steel products. In the same period last year, the country had exported 2.13 million tons of steel ingots and 414,000 tons of products made from the metal.
In this period, Iran’s overseas sales of sponge iron reached 285,000 tons — down six percent compared to the figure for the same time-span last year.
In addition, during March 21-July 22, Iran imported 16,000 tons of crude steel and 370,000 tons of steel products. Last year’s figure stood at 6,000 tons and 761,000 tons respectively. Sistan-baluchestan Province has exported 330 tons of shrimps since March 21, 2018, said the head of the provincial Veterinary Department.
Mehdi Hosseini told IRNA that the shrimps, farmed in the port city of Chabahar, were exported to Hong Kong, Thailand, Oman and the UAE.
He said about 930 tons of shrimps were produced in the farms during the same period.
Hosseini noted that plans have been drawn up to export shrimps from Sistanbaluchestan to the European Union.
In June, Deputy Head of Iran’s Seafood Exporters Union Hassan Ahmadi Jazani, said Iran produced some 20,000 tons of shrimps last year and this is expected to reach 30,000 in the year to March 21, Iran will continue exporting gas and electricity to neighboring Iraq despite the re-imposition of economic sanctions and pressures on the Islamic Republic, said Iran’s ambassador to Iraq.
According to Fars News Agency, Ambassador Iraj Masjedi said in a meeting with a delegation from Iraqi Chamber of Commerce and a group of businessmen, “Iran will take part in the reconstruction of Iraq and will also keep on exporting gas and power to the neighboring country.”
He underlined that Tehran is seeking a 2019.
The provinces of Khuzestan, Hormuzgan, Sistanbaluchestan, Bushehr and Golestan are the main centers for shrimp farming in Iran.