TEHRAN- A new production plant is planned to be constructed in Iran’s southwestern province of Khuzestan that will add 240,000 tons to the country’s annual paper output, IRIB reported, quoting the head of the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, as saying.

Mohammad Mokhber Dezfouli said when starting operation, the new plant will supply 38 percent of Iran’s requirement for paper, saving the country $285 million per annum.

He put the value of investment for setting up the plant at $467 million.

As previously announced by the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade, production of paper in Iran rose 2.3 percent during the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-August 22) compared to the same period of time in the previous year.

The ministry’s data indicated that 398,800 tons of paper have been produced during the mentioned five-month period.

Deputy Industry Minister Farshad Moqim has announced that export of papers and cardboards from Iran has risen 63 percent in the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20, 2019) from its previous year.

The official has also said that Iran’s paper and cardboard import has fallen 18 percent in the previous year.

MA/MA