TEHRAN – The Agriculture Ministry of Iraqi Kurdistan has signed a contract with an Iranian Kurd company according to which the company will set up a chicken farming plant in the Sulaimaniyah Province.

The Iraqi Kurd officials have pledged to buy a piece of land in an area on the Halabcheh-Sulaimaniyah borderline. The Iranian company will undertake 20% of the project’s costs, which is estimated to total 12 million dollars.

Over $65m of saffron exported since March

TEHRAN – In the past nine months of the current Iranian year (March 21-December 21), Iran exported some 65 million dollars of saffron, setting 6.5% decrease in comparison with the same period last year.

Spain ($16.62m), Saudi Arabia ($3.27m), Taiwan ($1.66m), UAE ($30.7m), and India ($3.9m) were the main importers of Iranian saffron in the said period.

Hydro Zagros starts 3rd phase of seismic surveys at Mehran

TEHRAN – The third phase of seismographic operations in the border city of Mehran has already started by Hydro Zagros Oil & Gas AS.

A team of oil exploration experts from Norway had started the studies in the region about four years ago. The team has to date worked on an area of 1000 kilometers in this western part of the country. Norway’s largest industrial company Norsk Hydro works under the name of Hydro Zagros Oil & Gas in Iran.

Iran exports $335m of hand-woven carpets

TEHRAN – In a nine-month period since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2005), some $335 million of hand-woven carpets was exported from the country, showing 7% decrease compared to the corresponding period last year.

About 67% of the exported volume was destined for Germany ($77.7m), Italy ($30.85m), Japan ($23.5m), USA ($63.41m), and the UAE ($29.2m), Iran Customs Administration reported. Also in the said period, Iran exported some $49 million of gems and turquoise as well as $28.5 million of handicrafts (excluding carpets).

UNIDO discusses development of industry clusters with Iran

TEHRAN – In a meeting with officials from Iran’s Small Industries & Industrial Parks Organization (ISIPO), representatives from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) presented a report of their work on developing industry clusters in Iran and in other parts of the world.

During the meeting, ISIPO and UNIDO signed an agreement according to which three major industry clusters will be developed in the next three years. The project, which is estimated to cost 400,000 dollars totally, is aimed to encourage investments in small and medium industries, which comprise more than 90% of the total number of Iran’s industries.

Lorestan accounts for 24% of Iran’s decorative stones production

KHORRAMABAD, Lorestan Prov. – Some 24 percent of Iran’s decorative stones is produced in this western province.

“However, the industry needs more attention from the relevant officials,” said head of the provincial Organization of Industries and Mines Reza Mosaddeq. Lorestan also produced three percent of the world’s decorative stones, he added, implying that the region could turn into a global site for decorative stones production with domestic and foreign investments.