Iran, world’s 4th leading tile and ceramic producer

TEHRAN,July 7(MNA) – Iran is currently the fourth largest producer of tiles and ceramic products in the world, the director of the association of Iranian tile and ceramic producers said on Saturday. Iran ranks fourth next to China, Brazil, and India, Behnam Azizzadeh added. In terms of exports, Iran is at the fifth position next to China, Italy, Spain, and Turkey, he noted. Iran’s tiles and ceramics output stood at 291.623 million square meters in the previous Iranian calendar year which ended March 20.   The amount showed 1.1 per cent increase compared to its preceding year.   According to the head of the Iranian tile producers and sellers union, Mostafa Goudarzi, Iran exports 80 percent of its domestically-made tiles and ceramics to Iraq.   He referred to Afghanistan and Uzbekistan as other destinations for Iranian-made products.   He added that some $270 million worth of tiles were exported two years ago.