Some 75% of the Iranian chewing gum market is dominated by foreign brands, most of which have been smuggled into the country while only 25% of the market is supplied by domestic brands, the managing director of Master Foodeh Company, which produces the ‘Biodent’ brand of chewing gum, said.
Mohammad Karimi added that Iran’s chewing gum market has an annual turnover of between 12 trillion rials ($285.71 million) and 15 trillion rials ($357.14 million), the Persian economic daily Donya-e-Eqtesad reported.
“Currently, we are working at 40-45% of our full production capacity but if smuggling is prevented, Biodent can meet 25-30% of the domestic demand,” he said, adding that Biodent factory has the capacity to produce 35 tons of chewing gums on a daily basis.
Latest statistics released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration show more than 1,420 tons of chewing gum worth nearly $2.28 million were imported into the country during the eight months to Nov. 21, mainly from the UAE, Azerbaijan, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Denmark, Switzerland, Russia and India.
Iran also exports chewing gum. Close to 2,150 tons of chewing gum worth more than 40 billion rials ($11.5 million) were exported to 26 countries during the same period.
With nearly $6.65 million worth of purchases, Iraq was the main export destination. Other main customers of Iranian gums were the United Kingdom, Afghanistan, Australia, Taiwan, Turkmenistan, Ivory Coast, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Canada and Sweden, Mizan Online reported.
