ZANJAN – Zanjan Customs reported export of 12,800 tons of goods, valued at $38.14 million, during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 21-December 21).

This showed 18% increase compared to the same period last year. Zanjan’s exports included polypropylene and other petrochemicals, Persian rugs and detergents, and were mainly destined for Azerbaijan Republic, Germany, Turkey, Iraq, China, the UK, Afghanistan, South Korea, Armenia, Italy, Turkmenistan, Russia and Syria.

Also in the said period, Zanjan Customs imported 10,781 tons of goods at $67.17 million, 19% down from last year’s figure.

Slovenia, China, Sweden, Turkey, Germany, Russia, Austria, Italy, Romania, Uzbekistan, Spain, Swiss, France, Japan, the UAE, Belgium and the UK were the main exporters on Zanjan Customs list during the said period.

Khuzestan to exhibit industrial capabilities in Iraq next year

AHVAZ, Khuzestan Prov. – An exhibition of industrial capabilities of this southern Iranian province will be held in the eastern Iraqi city of Al Amarah next year, IRNA reported.

The event, which is to be held from February 10-14, 2007, is aimed to pave the way for Khuzestan’s private companies to offer their products and services to the Iraqi market. Al Amarah is the administrative center of Maysan governorate with about 750,000 inhabitants.

The city is the main trade center on the Tigris waterway south of Baghdad.

Saffron farmers encouraged to use micronutrients

TEHRAN – The Agricultural Jihad Organization of Khorasan Razavi Province has started to advise local farmers on the use of micronutrients that can improve the output of saffron farms.

Saffron production per hectare will increase from 3.85 kg to 4kg if farmers supplement the plant’s diet with micronutrients. Regular irrigation and weed control as well as the use of urea (fertilizer) can also improve the output, according to ILNA.

Shrimp consignments stopped at EU borders due to Vet negligence

TEHRAN – Forty six shrimp containers were stopped at some European borders and sent back to Iran, ILNA quoted the director of a seafood exporters union as saying on Tuesday.

“The Veterinary Organization is to be blame for this because they were negligent to check out the quality of the cargos,” Hashem Sotudeh stated, adding the containers had a total weight of 950 tons. He put the country’s annual shrimp production at 1.7 million tons.

TSE down 6.23 pts

TEHRAN – The main index (TEPIX) of the Tehran Stock Exchange dropped 6.23 points to 10,069.26 on Tuesday.

According to ILNA, Tuesday’s trade consisted of the exchange of 24.961 million shares for 253.44 billion rials. The main board index fell 5.93 points to 10,142.16 and the secondary board index was down 6.76 points to 9,076.49.

The industrial index also slumped 6.3 points to 8,102.7, while the financial intermediation index surged 22 points to 17,497.63.

Tech. & eng. exports to Iraq through Khosravi hit $37m

KERMANSHAH – Some 37 million dollars of technical and engineering services was exported from Khosravi border since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2006).

This is the first time these products are exported to Iraq via this western customs office, an official with the provincial Trade Organization said Tuesday. In the same period, Khosravi Customs reported export of $340 million of non-oil products to Iraq.