TEHRAN – Iran’s Commerce Minister Masud Mir-Kazemi announced that the nation’s exports of sweets and candies in the past year hit around $150 million.

Our country is capable of increasing the amount of the exported confectioneries to five times the existing figure, the minister commented during his visit of the 5th International Exhibition on Iran’s Bakery, Sweets and Candies currently held in Tehran.

Through making use of the available resources, state supports and boosting investments in the sector the industry would be able to develop its potential for a significant growth, Mir-Kazemi maintained.

Adequate studies have not been carried out on the target markets yet, he stated adding that distribution networks and marketing abroad should be further activated, the Persian service of ISNA reported on Saturday.

A large number of domestic companies and 30 foreign firms from Australia, Belgium, the UAE, France, Greece, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Swiss, Thailand, the Netherlands, Turkey, UK, the U.S. and Indonesia display their products in the three-day exhibition.

The 5th International Exhibition on Iran’s Bakery, Sweets and Candies is held at the Permanent International Fairgrounds of Tehran from Oct. 28-31.