Iran's non-oil exports brought in $2.75 billion during the first eight months of the Iranian calendar year, which began March 21, an increase of 21 percent over the same period for the previous year, customs services announced Monday, December 3.
Among principal non-oil exports, carpets accounted for $337 million, gas $294 million, pistachios $228 million, metals $156 million, and various industrial products $119 million. The non-oil exports, which also include handicrafts and dried fruits, increased thanks to an easing of customs regulations. The customs report also shows that during the same period, imports rose by 19 percent to more than $11 billion.
Iran’s main imports were industrial machines at around $2.4 billion, metals at just over one billion dollars, tools just under one billion dollars, wheat at $631 million, chemical products at $445 million, plastics at $417 million, petrochemicals at $320 million, medical products at $292, paper at $250 and domestic oils at $232 million.
Oil exports account for some 80 percent of Iran's foreign currency revenues. They generated $24 billion in the last Iranian year, but are expected to be hit by the world oil price slump this year. — (AFP, Tehran)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
