Iran traded 41.74 million tons of non-oil commodities worth $23.16 billion with 11 members and observer states of Shanghai Cooperation Organization during the 11 months to Feb. 18, says Rouhollah Latifi, the spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
These entities include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Belarus.
Noting that China was Iran’s main trading partner among SCO member states with exchanges worth $15.51 billion during the period, the official said exports to SCO states exceeded 33.33 million tons worth $11.17 billion during the period under review.
“China and Mongolia purchased the highest and lowest share of goods from Iran with $6.72 billion and $412,809, while accounting for the highest and lowest share of exports to Iran with $8.79 billion and $2.44 million, respectively. Iran’s imports from SCO states totaled 8.4 million tons worth $11.99 billion,” he was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Iran’s main exports to SCO member states included aquatic products, vegetables, fruits, fabrics, industrial and agricultural machinery, home appliances, carpet, petrochemicals, pistachio and nuts.
Major commodities imported into Iran from SCO nations were industrial raw materials, machinery parts, meat, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, medical devices, auto parts and fabrics.
“Iran was among the first countries to join Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an observer state following Mongolia, but its request for full membership has not been confirmed for 12 years now,” Latifi said.
SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security alliance, the formation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China, by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Since then, the organization has expanded its membership to eight countries, after India and Pakistan joined SCO as full members on June, 9, 2017, at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Heads of State Council is the supreme decision-making body in SCO, which convenes once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organization.
Trade With SCO
Iran’s foreign trade, excluding petroleum exports, stood at 134 million tons worth $65.5 billion in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year (March 20, 2020-Feb. 18).
According to Mehdi Mirashrafi, the head of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, exports accounted for 103 million tons worth $31.2 billion and imports constituted 30.8 million tons worth $34.3 billion of the overall trade.
“Compared with the corresponding period of last year, exports registered an 18% and 19% year-on-year decline in weight and value respectively. Imports saw a respective 6% and 15% decrease in weight and value year-on-year,” he was quoted as saying by IRIB News.
The main export destinations were China with 24.5 million tons worth $8.1 billion, Iraq with 23.9 million tons worth $6.8 billion, the UAE with 14 million tons worth $4.1 billion, Turkey with 5.9 million tons worth $2.2 billion and Afghanistan with 6.4 million tons worth $2.1 billion.
Mirashrafi said these five countries imported an aggregate of $23.4 billion worth of non-oil goods from Iran, which account for 72% of the weight and 75% of the value of Iran’s overall exports over the 11-month period.
Iran’s main exported goods included gasoline, natural gas, gas condensates, petrochemicals and pistachio.
Major exporters to Iran were China with 3.2 million tons worth $8.8 billion, the UAE with 4.5 million tons worth $8.4 billion, Turkey with 4.3 million tons worth $3.8 billion, India with 2.1 million tons worth $2 billion and Germany with 1.1 million tons of goods worth $1.7 billion.
“These five countries exported an aggregate of $24.7 billion worth of non-oil goods to Iran, which account for 50% of the weight and 72% of the value of Iran’s total imports over the period,” the IRICA chief said.
