Azerbaijan , Baku, March 11 / Trend, A.Yusifzade /
Iranian state-owned steel plants produced 10.598 million tons of finished steel products in the first 11 months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2010 - February 20, 2011), representing increase of 14 percent compared to the same period of the previous Iranian year, ISNA reported.
Earlier Deputy Minister of Industries and Mines and Chairman of IMIDRO Hassan Pelarak said by the end of 2014, Iran should be a supplier of steel materials.
"Steel capacity has increased from less than 10 million tons to 17.5 million tons, while upon utilization of the undertaken projects, the target of 20 million tons will be achieved by the end of current Iranian year and the capacity of 44 million tons will be reached by the end of Fifth Development Plan (2015)," Pelarak said.
Pelarak said the implementation of 110 projects are incepted from the Fourth Plan (2005-2010) and will continue by the end of Fifth Plan (2010-2015). The projects are worth at $27 billion and other projects will be more likely added to this number.
"Participation and investment of the private sector in the implementation of the plans are the measures that will be undertaken," he clarified.
According to the World Steel Association, Iran was the second big steelmaker in Middle East in the first nine months of the current Iranian year (started on March).
Upon 11.9 percent increase, Turkey has produced 20.926 million tons of crude steel and ranked as the largest producer of the output in the Middle East in the first nine months of 2010.
With a growth of 4.1 percent, Iran produced about 8. 785million tons of crude steel and gained the second place in the Middle East.