Iran’s exports to 20 countries during the first eight months of the current fiscal year (started March 20) have been under scrutinized in a report by Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture.
Total exports to these countries decreased by 14% compared with the corresponding period of last year to stand at $13.3 billion.
According to the statistics released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, the sharpest decline in non-oil exports over the period was registered for Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Lebanon and Turkmenistan, and the highest growth was posted by Tajikistan, Russia and Azerbaijan Republic.
Following China, the highest share of Iran’s non-oil exports was claimed by Iraq, the UAE and Turkey among the 20 countries under review.
Exports to China and India declined by 21% and 38% year-on-year to reach $5.3 billion and $610 million respectively.
The report falls short of providing data on Iraq as precise data were not available, but figures from the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration show Iran exported $5.3 billion worth of goods no the neighboring country. Further details have yet to be announced.
Iran’s total non-oil foreign trade hit 97.7 million tons worth $44.6 billion in the eight months leading to Nov. 20.
According to Mehdi Mirashrafi, the head of IRICA, exports accounted for 75 million tons worth $21.5 billion and imports constituted 21.8 million tons worth $23.1 billion.
“Compared with the corresponding period of last fiscal year (March 21-Nov. 21, 2019), exports registered a 14% and 19% decline in weight and value respectively. Imports also registered a respective decrease of 1% and 18% in weight and value year-on-year,” he was quoted as saying by IRNA.
China
Non-oil exports to China, Iran’s biggest export destination, stood at $4.4 billion over the period. Plastics and chemicals accounted for a significant share of exports to the Asian country. Film-grade polyethylene with a density of less than 94% was the top exported item with a share of 15.2% from total exports ($669 million). The average price of each ton of the product was $837,000. The second and third top exported products to China were methanol and film-grade polyethylene worth $618 million and $443 million with a share of 14.8% and 10.1% respectively in total non-oil exports.
The UAE
Iran’s non-oil exports to the UAE stood at $665 million over the period. Watermelon exports accounted for the lion’s share with $40.41 million or 6.5% of the overall exports to the UAE. The average export price of each ton of watermelon was $226. Products from iron or flat and hot-rolled semi-finished steel, with a width of 600 mm and a thickness of less than 3 mm were the second biggest group of export products that attracted the highest dollar value in sales; they generated $33.42 million in exports revenues and accounted for 5.35% of total eight-month exports to the UAE. The third export item to the Arab country was tomato (fresh or frozen); its export earned $27.83 million (4.45% of total exports).
Afghanistan
Exports to Afghanistan stood at $1.2 billion, more than 6% of which ($72.58 million) pertained to exports of serrated hot rolled steel rods. The average price of each ton of the product was $408. The second and third export items to Afghanistan were sweets, excluding chocolate and tomato paste with $38.8 million and $37.25 million worth of export earnings and a share of 3.27% and 3.14% of total exports to the neighboring country respectively.
India
Exports to India hovered around $451 million over the period under review. Copper cathode was Iran’s top exported product with 14.5% of total exports ($65.4 million). The average export price of the product was $6,407 per ton. Shelled pistachio and methanol were the second and third top exports to the South Asian country with a respective share of 11.9% ($53.8 million) and 6.2% ($28 million).
Russia
Non-oil exports to Russia hovered around $285 million. Fruits, nuts and citrus peels accounted for 66% of total exports to the northern neighbor. The top three export products were apples with $39.93 million (14.2% of total exports), peach and nectarine with $32.84 million (11.53% of total exports) and pistachio with $31.16 million (10.94% of total exports).
Turkey
Exports to Turkey, as one of Iran’s major trade partners, stood at $900 million over the period. Urea accounted for the lion’s share of exports with 21% or $187 million. The average export price of the product was $175 per ton. The second and third exported items to Turkey were zinc ore and copper cathode with $93 million (10.4% of total exports) and $59 million (6.5% of total exports) respectively.
Lebanon
Non-oil exports to Lebanon stood at $7 million during the period under review. Fresh or dry pistachio nut was Iran’s top export product to Lebanon with $1.8 million worth of earnings, which accounted for 26% of total exports. The export of shelled pistachio and wool floor covering, excluding gabbeh came second and third on the list of exports to Lebanon worth $1.21 million and $615,600 and a share of 17.3% and 8.8% of total exports respectively.
Oman
Out of $174 million exports to Oman, 21% or $36 million belonged to the export of iron ingot and unfinished steel, each ton worth $337. The second and third exports were urea and square-shaped unfinished steel products with a thickness of more than 200 mm worth $31 million and $17 million worth of earnings and a share of 18% and 10% of total exports to Oman respectively.
Qatar
Non-oil exports to Qatar stood at $94 million, 12% of which pertained to one product: unfinished steel products with less than 25% carbon. Iran earned $11.3 million from the product with an average price of $379 per ton. Top second and third export products to Qatar were fresh or frozen tomatoes and watermelon worth $8.4 million and $6 million and a share of 9% and 6.4% of total exports respectively. Vegetables accounted for 36% of total exports to Qatar.
Georgia
Exports of unfinished steel rods worth $3.16 million accounted for 17.5% of the $18 million worth of overall exports to Georgia. The average price of each ton of the product stood at $600. The second and third export items to Georgia were polyethylene pipe grade and polyethylene compound with a share of 7.6% and 6.7% worth $1.38 million and $1.21 million respectively.
Syria
Exports of non-oil goods to Syria stood at $79 million over the period, of which 9.6% constituted industrial milk powder worth $7.6 million with an average price of $1,954 per ton. The second and third export items were tube or profiles made from unfinished steel and baby formula worth $7.31 million and $7.22 million and a share of 9.3% and 9.2% respectively.
Jordan
Total exports to Jordan stood at $12.8 million over the eight-month period. There were a handful of goods exported to the Arab country, such as $6.62 million worth of shelled pistachio, which accounted for 51.71% of Iran’s total exports to Jordan.
Pakistan
Iran exported $394 million worth of non-oil goods to Pakistan over the eight months to Nov. 20. Linear alkylbenzene was the top export item that accounted for 6% or $22.3 million of Iran’s total exports over the period. The average price of each ton of linear alkylbenzene sold to Pakistan was $935. The second and third export products were shelled pistachio and fresh or frozen tomatoes worth $21.9 million (5.6% of total exports) and $17.4 million (4.4% of total exports).
Azerbaijan Republic
Exports to Azerbaijan stood at $186 million during the period. Plastic products accounted for a significant share of exports to the neighboring country. Fresh or frozen potato was the top item exported to Azerbaijan worth $7 million and with a share of 4%. Each ton of potato was worth $136. The second and third exported commodities were tubes or profiles made from unfinished steel and packaging bags made from synthetic fiber or polyethylene and polypropylene worth $6.5 million and $6 million and with a share of 3.5% and 3.2% of total exports respectively.
Armenia
Exports to Armenia stood at $90.3 million. The top exported product to the neighboring country was “flat unfinished iron or steel products with a width of 600 mm plated with zinc”, which earned Iran $5.8 million (6% of total exports to Armenia). Each ton of the product was valued at $631. The second and third exported products were “liquid dielectric transformers” and “serrated, hot rolled iron or steel rods” worth $5.6 million and $4 million and with a share of 6.2% and 4.4% of total exports to Armenia respectively.
Uzbekistan
Exports to Uzbekistan stood at $84 million. Exports of “soil and stone crushing machines” were worth $8.8 million and accounted for 10.4% of overall exports to Uzbekistan. Each ton of the product was sold at $2,353. The second and third exported products were film-grade polyethylene with a density of less than 94% and alkylbenzene sulfonate with a share of 3.4% ($2.9 million) and 3.3% ($2.8 million) respectively.
Turkmenistan
Iran’s exports to Turkmenistan stood at $75.5 million over the period under review. Plastic products constituted a significant share of exports to Turkmenistan. “Steel welded tubes and profiles with an external diameter of less than 203.2 mm” was Iran’s top export to Turkmenistan worth $5 million and with a share of 7%. The export price of the product was $403 per ton. The second and third exported items were “paint and varnish” and “white Portland cement” worth $4.1 million and $3.2 million with a share of 5.5% and 4.3% of total exports to the neighboring country.
Tajikistan
Non-oil exports to Tajikistan stood at $11.8 million over the period. Film-grade polyethylene with a density of less than 94% accounted for 9% or $1.1 million of Iran’s total exports to Tajikistan was Iran’s to export item to the neighboring country. The average price of each ton of the product stood at $1,016. The second and third export products were packaging bags made from synthetic fiber or polyethylene and polypropylene and soil and stone crushing machines” worth $850,000 and $810,000 and a share of 7.2% and 7% of total exports respectively.
Bahrain
According to the IRICA figures, exports to Bahrain hovered around $4.7 million over the eight-month period. Floor covering made of synthetic fiber was the top export item to the country. It generated $499,000 for Iran and accounted for 10.5% of total exports to Bahrain. The export price for a ton of the product was $5,496. Wool floor covering, excluding gabbeh and shelled pistachio accounted for 6.9% or $327,000 and 6.5% or $307,000 of Iran’s total exports.
Yemen
Iran’s non-oil exports to Yemen stood at $240,000. The top exported product to this country was “poultry medicine, including antibiotics” with a share of 40% ($91,000). The export price of each ton of the product was $8,554.
