West Azarbaijan Province Exports Exceed $1.6 Billion

A total of 804,000 tons of commodities worth $1.69 billion were exported from West Azarbaijan Province during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 20-Dec. 20, 2020) to register a 10% decline and a 38% rise in tonnage and value respectively compared with the similar period of last year.
“Our main exported products were carpets and other kinds of floorings, home appliances, tomato paste, watermelon, fresh apple and apple juice, dates, grapes and other agricultural products, cement, granite, chlorine, and furniture,” Mohammad Dehqan, a local official, was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Russia, Romania, Germany and Syria were the main destinations.
The official noted that the rise in exports was registered despite restrictions put in place because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, adding that some of West Azarbaijan’s border crossings were even closed for months.   
Last year (March 2019-20), a total of $1.85 million worth of goods were exported from the province and this year’s exports are estimated to surpass the previous year’s figure.
Mohammad Reza Qorbani, caretaker of West Azarbaijan’s Railroad General Office, said 111,500 tons of goods were exported viam Razi railroad in Khoy County to the neighboring Turkey during the same period, registering a 38% increase compared with last year’s corresponding period.
West Azarbaijan Province, located in Iran’s northwest, shares around 96 kilometers of common borders with Iraq, Turkey and Azerbaijan Republic (via Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic).