Caretaker minister: Iran’s trade on course to pre-corona levels

Statistics on Iran’s production of a selected number of products during the first three months of the current calendar year (March 20-June 20) reflect a growing trend, indicating that the country’s trade is going back to precoronavirus levels.

Hossein Modarres-khiabani, the caretaker of the Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, made the remarks in a ceremony to celebrate the National Day of Industry and Mine on Tuesday, saying this has been achieved despite US unilateral sanctions on the country and restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus spread, IRNA reported.

He noted that during the tough days in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak, the country’s producers managed to prevent a suspension in domestic production and have maintained the momentum of the industrial progress through firm determination and hard efforts.

Modarres-khiabani added in this period, Iran’s production of face masks witnessed a 30-fold growth, reaching six million from 200,000 in late February despite all the restrictions.

“Thanks to domestic producers’ efforts, Iran, once an importer, has currently tuned into an exporter of the coronavirus-related hygiene products.”

He put the industrial sector’s share in the country’s total annual employment growth rate and non-oil exports at 23 percent and 76 percent respectively.

The caretaker minister added after visiting a number of domestic production and industrial units, he realized that firm steps have been taken to complete the country’s development projects.

He put at 22 percent, 27 percent, 10 percent and 100 percent, the year-on-year growth witnessed by Iran’s production of automobile, tire, cement and washing machine, respectively, in the three-month period.

Modarres-khiabani added the country’s production of

TV set has seen a 50 percent growth year-on-year.

He said at present, 80 percent of the country’s trade border crossings have been reopened, putting the percentage of the reactivated border markets at 75.

The caretaker minister added in the same time span, the number of new technology-based firms in Iran reached 350 from 325.

He said the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Mine has defined four special missions for the current year (to end March 2021) to further boost domestic production.

Modarres-khiabani added his ministry has placed on its agenda completing and opening incomplete projects, noting that to this end, over 12,500 industrial plans, which are already 60 percent complete, are under implementation.

He said the government is inaugurating a number of projects each week of the total 200 plans either implemented or under construction with $40.47 billion in investments.

“The ministry also aims to export non-oil products valued at $41 billion by the end of the year.”