Iran Increases Non-oil Exports by over 42.5%

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Economy Minister Seyed Shamsedin Hosseini announced that the country's non-oil exports have increased by 42.5% in the first four months of the new Iranian year (March 21-July 22, 2011) compared with the same period last year.
Iran's non-oil exports have surpassed 13.2 billion dollars during the first four months of the current Iranian year, Hosseini said.

The minister added that the country also imported about 18.4 billion dollars of goods during March 21 and July 22 -- down 3.5 percent compared to the same period last year.

Hosseini noted that the implementation of subsidy reform plan and the increase of the country's production capacity led to the decrease of Iran's imports.

Last month, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the oil-rich country is prepared to increase its non-oil exports to more than 45 billion dollars in the current Iranian year.

President Ahmadinejad went on to say that Iran's non-oil exports surpassed 30 billion dollars in the past year.

Iran's non-oil export items mainly include gas condensates, mineral fuels, chemical products, plastics, fruits, nuts, fertilizers and carpets.