ISFAHAN If the country's steel industry intends to compete in the world market, its manpower has to have access to minimum facilities, announced the Minister of Mines and Metals Eshaq Jahangiri here Saturday. Speaking during a visit to Mobarakeh Steel Complex, he added, "in steel industry several billion dollars of investments in human resources is worth many times more than its equivalent in physical assets." The minister also said, "only, by providing a financial peace of mind, conducive working environment and opportunities for creativity to our workers, we can think about entering international markets." Underscoring the needs of the construction and industrial sectors in using good quality steel, Jahangiri added that out of about seven billion dollars of steel production in the country annually, over one billion is exported.

He also said that although there is slump in world steel prices, the country's output has increased by 10 percent during the period March-June of the current year compared to the same period last year. He added supply of steel to the domestic market has also increased by 13 percent in the same period. (IRNA)