According to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade, “Food and Beverage Industries” and “Chemical Materials and Products Manufacturing” groups were “the most attractive” sectors in the last fiscal year (March 2015-16). The criteria surveyed included number of permits issued and the volume of investment respectively. The ministry issued 2,646 permits for launching food and beverage manufacturing units last year, which indicates a 0.7% rise compared to a year before, our sister publication Persian daily Donya-e-Eqtesad reported. Investments for the establishment of chemical plants were estimated at 257 trillion rials ($7.4 billion at market exchange rate), which shows an 82% hike compared to the year before. All in all, the ministry issued more than 16,000 permits for the establishment of industrial units last year, 14.2% less compared to a year before. However, overall investments in these projects were estimated at about $35 billion, 16.5% more than the preceding year. This, according to Donya-e-Eqtesad, indicates a shift from small to larger enterprises.
