Close to $27.3 billion worth of non-oil goods were imported during the eight months ending November 21, according to the latest data released by Iran Customs Administration.
The top exporters to Iran were China, the UAE, South Korea, Turkey, Switzerland, India, Germany, Italy, France and the Netherlands in a descending order.
According to a report recently published by Financial Tribune’s sister newspaper Donya-e-Eqtesad, industrial machinery and agricultural goods were the main imports during the period.
China accounted for the lion’s share of Iran’s imports, as 3.2 billion tons of goods worth about $6.8 billion were imported from the Asian country.
The main imports from China were ceramic pastes, fuel compressing, shaping or molding machines, auto manufacturing parts, hot-rolled flat steel sheets, ventilating machines, steel rolling machines, machines and mechanical devices, rail bogies, display modules and card reader devices, most of which were classified as mechanical machinery.
The UAE was the second biggest exporter of goods to Iran, as 4 million tons of commodities worth close to $5.2 billion were imported from the southwest neighboring country. The main imports from the UAE were pistons and motor vehicles, press cakes, non-alloy iron or steel products, beef, butter, cellphones, steam turbine parts, animal feed, bananas, corn and barley.
South Korea ranked third on the list, exporting about 1.3 billion tons of goods worth $2.4 billion to Iran during the period. The main imported commodity from South Korea was LED or LCD display modules worth $267 million. Other imports from the East Asian country included alloy steel products, non-alloy iron or steel products, auto parts, refrigerators, side-by-side refrigerators, cellphones, freight wagons and air conditioners.
Turkey was next, exporting 1.9 million tons of goods valued at $2.49 billion. Fresh or dried green banana was the main imported commodity from Turkey, valued at $155 million. Other imports include wheat, superphosphate, cigarettes, tobacco, fiberboards, steel rolling machines, soybeans, natural calcium phosphate, aluminocalcic phosphate, pharmaceutical-grade supplements and freight wagons.
Meanwhile, 3.5 million tons of goods valued at $1.65 billion were imported from Switzerland. Agricultural goods accounted for the bulk of imports. Soybeans topped the list, followed by corn, soybean press cakes, unprocessed soybean oil, wheat, sunflower and safflower oil, processed sugar and barley.
India, sixth on the list, exported 1.6 million tons of goods worth $1.52 billion to Iran during the eight months. Nearly 1,660 types of commodities were imported from India, with rice accounting for the highest volume and value. Other imports include iron ore, soybean press cake, black tea, non-alloy iron or steel products, rolled alloy steel sheets, ferrosilicon manganese, cardboards, synthetic fibers and unprocessed sugar.
More than 348,000 tons of goods valued at $1.16 billion were imported from Germany, seventh on the list, during the period. Antisera was the main import followed by wheat, pharmaceutical-grade supplements, mechanical machinery, synthetic fibers, tractors, cold and hot rolling machinery, weaving machines, pharmaceuticals, food supplements, bottle filling, sealing and effervescing machines and steam turbine parts.
Italy exported $582 million worth of goods to Iran, with mechanical machinery being the main export. Other commodities include elevator gear motors, fuel compressing, shaping or molding machines, pharmaceuticals, bottle filling and sealing machines, centrifugal pumps for liquids, pharmaceutical-grade supplements and molding machines.
About 43,000 tons of goods worth $498 million were imported from France, consisting of auto manufacturing parts, pharmaceuticals, amino alcohol phenols and amino acid phenols, insulin and cosmetics.
Finally, the Netherlands exported $438 million worth of goods to Iran during the eight months, with the main exports being corn, soybeans, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, barley, vegetable seeds, animal food supplements, tractors and prosthetics.
