BANDAR ANZALI, Gilan Prov. — Northern Bandar Anzali exported 24,000 tons of different agricultural products valued at Rls.195 billion in the first ten months of the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2005). This shows a 6.5 percent growth compared with the corresponding period last year, Changiz Shabrang, deputy in Agricultural Jihad Department in Bandar Anzali said on Monday.

Raisins, tea, dates, pistachios, kiwi fruit, cucumbers, pomegranates, potatoes, and apples are some of the products exported in this period, he noted.

The products were exported to Kenya, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bulgaria, he stated.

Kerman’s export value increased

KERMAN — Some 878,000 tons cargo worth over $373 million were exported via the customs offices of Kerman Province in the first nine months of this Iranian year (started March 21, 2005), Ahmad-Reza Ekrani, the director general of Customs Administration of the province said on Monday.

“It has grown by 19 percent in weight and 52 percent in value, compared with the corresponding period last year”, he added.

Exported to the European countries, Russia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Turkey, and the Central Asian republics, the commodities included pistachios, copper ware, wool, foodstuff products, dates, and paint, he explained.

$2.8b of petrochemicals supplied to domestic, foreign markets

TEHRAN — Mohammad Ehtiati, the managing director of Petrochemical Commercial Company on Sunday declared that $2.8 billion petrochemical products has been supplied to the domestic and foreign markets since beginning of the current Iranian year on March 21, 2005.

He further said that 4.2 million tons petrochemicals worth $1.8 billion has been exported in the same period.

Also in his remarks, Ehtiati noted that the country plans to expand its current petrochemical markets as well as establish the new ones worldwide.

He further noted that China is among the most important markets of Iran’s petrochemical products, as $200 million of products were exported to it in the last Iranian year (started March 20, 2004). The figure will be increased to $300 million in this Iranian year, he added.

Qom exports $20m of cargos in autumn

QOM — The export value of cargo via Qom Province stood at some $20 million in autumn, which has grown by 97.5 percent compared with the same previous period.

Industrial and mechanical machineries, industrial electric appliances, carpets, furniture’s, slippers, and etc. are some of the commodities exported via this province.

Others will lose if lower trade with Iran: official

TEHRAN – A member of Iran-China Chamber of Commerce said on Monday that lowering trade ties with Iran will result in great economic losses for any trade partner of Iran in the world.

“Some western financial institutions want to test Iran’s sensibility to the international pressure in this certain period of nuclear disputes,” Majid Hariri stated, pointing to a recent report about a Swiss bank’s decision to halt financial exchanges with Iran. “They do this while they know how Iran is moving up in the global financial ratings as a result of huge gains in the energy markets,” he noted.

Iran to host next NACA meeting in a month

TEHRAN – The 17th meeting of members of the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific (NACA) will be held here by late February, Iranian Fisheries Organization reported.

The four-day meeting will focus on regional NACA directors’ reports of last year’s aquaculture projects in China and Thailand, details of NACA plans for the next four years, and new education and research projects. The new director-general of the organization will also be elected during the meeting, which is planned to kick off on February 25. Iran has also been chosen to host the next round of meeting in 2007. NACA members include Iran, Australia, Indonesia, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, India, Nepal, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.

Yazd exports $110m of goods in 10 months

YAZD – In the past ten months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2005-January 20, 2006), some 123,100 tons of goods, valued at $110 million, was exported from this central Iranian province.

This showed 81% increase (in terms of value) compared to the same period last year. The number is estimated to attain 140 million dollars by the end of the year (March 20, 2006). In the said period, Yazd exported minerals such as molybdenum oxide, ferromolybdenum, pistachios, tires, and some other industrial commodities, mostly to Italy, Germany, UK, Afghanistan, Russia, Iraq, and Pakistan. Also in this ten-month period, Yazd imported some 17,468 tons of goods, valued at $87.9m, from Italy, Spain, UK, Korea, China, Turkey, and the UAE.

It’s now A and B in Chaharmahal agriculture

SHAHR-E KORD, Charmahal-Bakhtiari Province – In line with developing the use of modern technologies in the agricultural sector, seeds were exposed to alpha & beta emitters for a sort-out by experts working for the Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Organization of Agricultural Jihad.

The organization bought a PCR (a machine that radiates alpha and beta rays and kills pests) for 150 million rials (nearly $16,456) from a foreign company. The machine can even detect viruses that may affect the plants years after the experiments. The local agricultural officials hope the machine will help increase the volume of garden produces in this western province.