Iran’s mineral, industrial exports up on last year

TEHRAN,Feb.12(MNA)-- Iran’s mineral and industrial exports are up on last years figures and are expected to top $30 billion by the end of this calendar year (March 20), according to the vice president for planning affairs. Davood Manzoor told that mineral and industrial exports from Iran were expanding and that global sanctions have not prevented the country from boosting exports. Manzoor was referencing a recent report released by the Iranian Customs Administration that quantified the Islamic Republic’s trade during the first 10 months of this calendar year. The report stated that the ratio of non-oil exports (including gas condensates) to imports hit the figure of 0.7, indicating that imports have declined and exports have increased in the aforementioned period. Non-oil exports in the first 10 months of the current year amounted to 61,931 tons, worth 35.137 billion, compared to 57,852 tons, worth 26.649 billion, for the same period in last year. According to the report, China, Iraq, the UAE, India and Afghanistan were the main imports of Iranian goods, making up 17.15 percent, 14.7 percent, 14.3 percent, 8.48 percent and 6.17 percent of total exports, respectively.