Petrochemical output reached 27.3 million tons in the first six months of the current fiscal ending on September 22 and generated $6.3 billion in export revenues.
According to Shana, the production capacity of 56 major petrochemical complexes, located mostly in Mahshahr (Khuzestan Province) and Asalouyeh (Bushehr Province), is forecast to reach 62 million tons by next March.
The news agency said 21 plants in Mahshahr produced 9.7 million tons of the product in the six-month period.
Production from 16 plants in the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone in Asalouyeh hit 12.2 million tons during the period.
Other complexes namely Kermanshah Polymer Company, Kharg Petrochemical Company, Khorasan Petrochem firm and Shiraz Petrochemical Industries Company in sum produced 5.4 million tons.
According to Shana, of the total 27.5-million-ton output, 10.8 million tons, worth $6.3 billion, was exported to Asia and Europe.
Giving a breakdown, the news agency said export volume and value from companies in Mahshahr, Asalouyeh, and other regions reached 3 million tons worth $1.8 billion, 5.6 million tons worth $3.2 billion and 2.2 million tons worth $1.3 billion respectively.
Nouri Petrochemical Company in Asalouyeh, Bandar Imam Petrochemical Company in Khuzestan as well as Kharg Petrochem Plant top the list of exporting firms with 1.3 million tons, 1 million tons and 557,000 tons in the period in the same order.
Total revenue from petrochemical exports last year reached $9.5 billion, official data show.
Petrochemical is the largest industry in Iran after oil and gas.
The National Petrochemical Company hopes to lift nominal output capacity to 120 million tons per annum by 2022.
