Mazandaran Province exported 342,000 tons of kiwis and oranges worth around $200 million in the last Iranian year that ended on March 19, 2020.
According to a local official, Mehdi Golchoob, kiwi exports stood at 158,000 tons worth $111 million to register a 12% and 17% rise in tonnage and value respectively compared with the year before.
Orange exports stood at 184,000 tons worth $89 million, indicating a 138% and 104% year-on-year increase in tonnage and value respectively, IRNA reported.
Located in the north of Iran along Caspian Sea, Mazandaran accounts for about 80% of Iran's kiwi production and half of citrus fruit output.
More than 750,000 tons of goods were exported from Mazandaran to the Eurasian countries during the last fiscal year, registering a 76% growth compared with the previous year.
According to a local official, Ali Yousefi, dairy products, plastics, cement and minerals worth $32.92 million constituted the lion’s share of the exports, Mehr News Agency reported.
Over 2 million tons of different products worth $685 million were imported from the Eurasian countries to the province during the same period.
The imports saw a 97% and 17% increase in terms of volume and value respectively.
The Eurasian Economic Union recently removed tariffs on the import of 11 Iranian agricultural and food products.
“These goods can, from now on, be exported at a zero tariff rate and include potato, onion, garlic, cabbage, carrot, chili, wheat, grains, rice and ready-to-eat meals for kids. The measure taken by EEU in these difficult times when the country is battling the Covid-19 crisis in addition to economic sanctions can help boost our production and exports,” Reza Nourani, the head of Iran’s National Association for Agricultural Products, was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.
Iran and Eurasian Economic Union have had a preferential trade agreement in place since Oct. 27. The two sides signed a three-year provisional agreement in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 17, 2018, for the bloc to welcome Iran into EEU.
The arrangement, which lowers or abolishes customs duties, is the first step toward implementing free trade between Iran and the five members of the union within three years, as part of their trade agreement.
The two sides have listed 862 types of commodities in their three-year provisional trade agreement. As per the deal, Iran will enjoy easier export terms and lower customs duties on 502 items and the same goes for 360 items from EEU member states.
The Eurasian Economic Union member states include Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.
