ABADAN, Khuzestan Prov. – In a seven-month period since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2006), more than 1.3 million megawatts of electricity was generated in this southern city’s natural gas-fueled power plant.

The plant’s output in Farvardin (the first month of the Iranian calendar year) totaled 31,673 MW, while in the next months (Ordibehesht, Khordad, Tir, Mordad, Shahrivar and Mehr) power generation was recorded at 128,701 MW, 224,732 MW, 274,754 MW, 244,550 MW, 199,512 MW and 211,039 MW, respectively.

First-half exports from Khorasan Razavi down 26%

MASHHAD, Khorasan Razavi Prov. – The Customs Department of this northeastern province registered export of 361,000 tons of goods at $355 million for the first six months of the current Iranian year (March 21-September 22).

This showed 26 percent decrease in weight compared to the same period last year. Lotfabad Customs accounted for 22,966 tons (valued at $3 million) of the export while some 137,000 tons (at $6 million) was exported from Sarakhs Customs.

Iran imports 93% of its cooking oil demand

TEHRAN – An official from the Agricultural Jihad Ministry said on Monday that Iran imports 93 percent of its demand for cooking oil.

“This is costing us 1.5 million dollars every year,” Masud Mohajer added, calling for a radical change in the government’s economic policies regarding the country’s high potential for oilseeds farming and thus for cooking oil production.

“A good deal of research has been done on the conditions and benefits of colza farming here, but nothing will be achieved unless the results are brought into practice on the farmlands,” he noted.

Yazd Mar.-Sept. export hits $64m

YAZD – Some 101,033 tons of goods, valued at over 64 million dollars, was exported from this central Iranian province during the first half of the current Iranian year.

This showed 10 percent increase in value compared to the corresponding period last year. Ceramic tiles, molybdenum oxide, pistachios, ferromolybdenum, and detergents were exported to Italy, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, and Holland.

Also in the same period, Yazd Customs reported import of 4,530 tons of goods at $17,123, which showed 73 percent decrease in value.

HCSGF chief puts last year’s smuggling at $6b

TEHRAN – Director of the Headquarters for Combating the Smuggling of Goods and Foreign Currencies said that some six billion dollars of goods were smuggled into the country in the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2006).

Mohammadreza Naqdi put the total imports in the said period at 45 billion dollars. Pointing to the lack of coordination between the country’s bazaaris (traditional businessmen) and producers, he said that while Iranian farmers have to pile up their crops in stores because of imports from other countries, Russia is buying 200 million dollars of fruits from Africa each year.