TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency) – In the next Iranian calendar year of 1383 (starts March 21, 2004), over 2000 billion rials (some $250 million) is allocated to be paid to exporters of various goods as incentive, Deputy Head of the Iranian Export Center (IEC) Ali Soltani announced here Wednesday.

Speaking to the board of directors of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Soltani said that the figure shows two-fold increase compared with the same figure for the current year.

1,156 billion rials (some $1,360 million) has been granted to exporters, of which over 120 billion ($150 million) has been paid to exporters of Tehran, he said.

Pointing to indirect aids to exporters, Soltani said IEC has paid some 200 billion rials ($250 million) to exporters to build terminals for storing flowers, of which 180 billion rials ($225 million) is paid in loan while the rest is urequitable. AF/IS END MNA