TEHRAN – Iran exported $11.655 billion worth of non-oil goods in the first quarter of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21–June 21), according to Faroud Asgari, deputy economy minister and head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA).

The volume of non-oil exports stood at 34.476 million tons, representing a 9.3 percent decrease in weight and a 14.4 percent drop in value compared to the same period last year.

The average customs value of exported goods was $338 per ton, down 5.6 percent year-on-year.

Petrochemical exports during the quarter totaled 11.133 million tons, valued at $4.684 billion, which marks a 28.7 percent decline in weight and a 24.5 percent decrease in value from the year before.

The top non-oil export items were liquefied propane at $874 million, liquefied butane at $611 million, methanol at $576 million, petroleum bitumen at $574 million, and natural gas at $456 million.

China was Iran’s largest export destination with purchases totaling $3.511 billion. It was followed by Iraq at $1.905 billion, the United Arab Emirates at $1.592 billion, Turkey at $937 million, Afghanistan at $510 million, Oman at $437 million, and Pakistan at $420 million.

Iran’s total non-oil trade during the quarter reached 43.489 million tons, valued at $24.684 billion.

Imports accounted for 9.013 million tons of that volume, worth $13.029 billion—down 4.35 percent in weight and 11.73 percent in value year-on-year.

The average value of imported goods was $1,446 per ton, reflecting a 7.7 percent decline.

Key import items included unrefined gold at $965 million, animal feed corn at $883 million, rice at $500 million, sunflower seed oil at $493 million, and mobile phones at $372 million.

The UAE was Iran’s leading import partner with $3.886 billion in shipments, followed by China at $3.428 billion, Turkey at $1.986 billion, India at $514 million, Germany at $454 million, Russia at $354 million, and the Netherlands at $340 million.

EF/MA