TEHRAN- The supervisor of customs in Hormozgan Province, citing a 97% increase in the province’s customs revenues, said that in the first half of the current year, more than 14,370,000 tons of goods worth over $8 billion were exported and imported through the province’s customs.

Hossein Saeedi, in an interview with IRNA, stated: In the first six months of the current Iranian calendar 1405 (March 21-September 21), 13,073,000 tons of goods worth $4.066 billion were exported from Hormozgan customs, while in the import sector, 1,298,000 tons of goods worth $3.988 billion entered the country.

He added: Accordingly, the total foreign trade of Hormozgan customs in the first half of this year exceeded 14,370,000 tons, and the value of these exchanges reached more than $8 billion.

The supervisor of Hormozgan Province customs continued: This volume of trade was recorded under conditions in which, during recent months, part of the province’s customs buildings and infrastructure was damaged during wartime conditions, but the process of customs formalities and service provision to economic actors was not halted.

Saeedi said: Customs staff in the province continued customs processes by using alternative spaces and maintaining field activities, so that infrastructure damage would not interrupt the flow of goods in and out.

Referring to the importance of continuity in customs activity under difficult conditions, he said: In addition to carrying out legal formalities, customs is one of the important links in the foreign trade chain, and maintaining the flow of goods and supporting economic activities becomes even more important in crisis conditions.

The supervisor of Hormozgan Province customs also announced a 97% increase in customs revenues in the first half of this year and said: The province’s customs revenue in this period reached 1,124,992 billion rials, while the figure in the same period last year was 571,615 billion rials.

Saeedi added: This revenue increase, alongside the high volume of foreign trade, is the result of continued customs processes, expert and appraisal work, collection of duties and tolls, and the continuous activity of the province’s customs staff.

Referring to the conditions of customs activity in recent months, he said: The experience of this period showed that the continuity of customs activity does not depend only on physical infrastructure, and specialized and responsible human resources play an important role in maintaining trade flow under difficult conditions.

Saeedi emphasized: Relying on the experience gained, Hormozgan customs continues to pursue trade facilitation, support for production, and supply of goods, and efforts are being made for foreign trade through the province’s customs to continue with the least interruption.

According to IRNA, Hormozgan Province customs, by recording a share of nearly one-third of the country’s total non-oil exchanges, plays a key role in Iran’s foreign trade and economic prosperity, and the outstanding performance of the province’s ports has turned the region into the country’s export springboard.

Hormozgan has been a leader in both export and import sectors and has consolidated its position as the forefront of Iran’s maritime trade.

The composition of Hormozgan Province’s import and export goods shows its diversity and economic importance; imports of new passenger cars, trucks, gold bullion, mobile phones, petrochemical products, and basic goods are among the major import items. On the other hand, exports of industrial, petrochemical, and mineral goods, carpet exports, and foreign transit have an important share in the province’s economy.

Shahid Rajaee Port, the most important customs point in the province, accounts for more than 89% of Hormozgan’s customs activities and nearly 47% of the total revenue of the country’s customs; access to open waters, advanced loading and unloading facilities, and connection to the rail and road network have made this port a key point in the country’s foreign trade.

Statistics from Iran Customs and the assessment of the province’s customs supervisor show that Hormozgan, with exports of more than 25 million tons of goods, a one-third share of total non-oil exchanges, and outstanding port performance, has consolidated its capability in the axis of Iran’s sea-based economy.

Focus on reforming customs processes and developing infrastructure can turn Hormozgan into Iran’s leader in regional and international trade.

EF/MA