Iran imported $347 million worth of textiles and apparel production machinery and equipment during the nine months to Dec. 21, 2017, the director general of Textile and Clothing Department at the Industries Ministry told.
Afsaneh Mehrabi added that last year’s (March 2016-17) imports stood at $194 million, Mehr News Agency reported.
Garment manufacturing facilities in Iran are outdated and need to be upgraded, as a result of years of international sanctions imposed on Iranian industries over Tehran’s nuclear program.
According to Amin Moqaddam, a member of the board of directors of Iran Textile Exporters and Manufacturers Association, Iranian apparel production meets less than 30% of domestic demand.
Moqaddam put the value of Iran’s apparel market at $11 billion.
Meanwhile, Iran exports apparel worth tens of millions of dollars every year. The latest statistics by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration show about 3,000 tons of apparel worth $39 million were exported from Iran during the nine months to Dec. 21, 2017.
The main export destinations were Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, the UAE, Turkey, Oman, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Armenia, Georgia, Yemen, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, the UK, Lebanon, India, Norway, Japan, Spain and Australia.
Last year’s textile exports stood at $48 million.
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