More than 1 million tons of goods have been loaded and unloaded in the ports of Gilan Province located in northern Iran since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 20), registering a 40% increase compared with the similar period of last year.
According to Director General of Gilan Ports and Maritime Organization Hamidreza Abaei, throughputs of Anzali and Astara ports stood at 920,000 tons and 140,000 tons respectively during the period, IRNA reported.
The exports included tar, glass, construction material, different kinds of food and agricultural products and imports included grain, vegetable oil and other essential goods, wood, paper and cardboard and medium-density fiberboards.
Abaei noted that 384 vessels berthed at the two ports during the period, showing a 35% year-on-year rise.
Exports from Gilan Province reached 637,558 tons of commodities worth $394 million during the first eight months of the current Iranian year to Nov. 20.
According to Farhad Dalgh-Poosh, the head of Gilan’s Trade Promotion Organization, the figures indicate a 36% and 51% rise in terms of tonnage and value respectively compared with the similar period of last year.
Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Afghanistan and Iraq were the main destinations, Mehr News Agency reported.
A total of 133,017 tons of goods worth around $580 million were imported into Gilan during the same period to register a 44% and 1% growth in volume and value respectively year-on-year.
Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Ukraine, Turkey and Ecuador were the top exporters to the province.
Gilan is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It lies along the Caspian Sea, west of the province of Mazandaran, east of the province of Ardabil, and north of the provinces of Zanjan and Qazvin. It borders the Republic of Azerbaijan in the north and Russia across the Caspian Sea.
The Iranian port of Astara, bordering the Republic of Azerbaijan, has the lion’s share of exports from Gilan Province.
Iran’s private sector invested a total of 500 billion rials (about $2 million) in Astara Port in the last Iranian year (March 2019-20), according to the head of Astara Port and Maritime Organization.
“The investments were made in developing infrastructure such as wharfs and the port's premises, storehouses, grain silos and water canals, and expanding radio communications and marine traffic control facilities,” Kianoush Amiri was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
The official added that Astara Port is willing to facilitate private sector investments in all areas, especially food processing industry and marine tourism.
More than 10,184 tons of goods were loaded and unloaded in Astara in the last Iranian year (March 2019-20) to register a 35% increase compared with the year before, according to figures released by the Ports and Maritime Organization.
The throughput pertained to the exports of construction material, mineral products, fertilizers and chemicals.
Gateway to EEU
Most of Iran’s trade with the Eurasian countries is carried out through Gilan.
According to Abolqasem Yousefinejad, the superintendent of Gilan Customs Administration
Countries of the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran are increasing the volume of mutual trade, despite the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Eurasian Economic Commission.
For eight months of 2020, trade increased by 2% and exceeded $2 billion. The rise in imports from Iran by almost $230 million has contributed to the growth, 24.kg reported.
Agricultural products became the basis of mutual trade. Food products and agricultural raw materials accounted for about 80% ($939 million) of the volume of supplies from the EEU states to Iran. In return, similar goods accounted for most of the supplies from Iran to the union, i.e. 68%, or $575 million.
Fruits and nuts became the main drivers of import growth from Iran.
Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union 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.
The average tariff set by the Eurasian Economic Union on Iranian goods as part of a preferential trade agreement stands at 3.1%, while the figure is 12.9% for EEU goods exported to Iran.
Iran and EEU 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 union removed tariffs on imports of 11 Iranian agricultural and food products in April. It conveyed the decision to the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran in an official letter.
“These goods that can, from now on, be exported at a zero tariff 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.
The Eurasian Economic Union member states include Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.
