BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 12
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend
Imports and exports of various and new products were planned via the Caspian port of Anzali Free Zone at Gilan province in northern Iran since the beginning of the current year (starting March 20, 2020), Member of the Board of Directors of Anzali Trade -Industrial Freezone Organization, Amin Ofoghi told Trend.
According to Ofoghi, efforts are being made to reduce the cost of marketing, transportation costs and consumer use in order to bring Iranian products to the markets of neighboring countries.
Ofoghi added that creation of competitive opportunities, short distance, simplification and acceleration of services for economic activists, provision of legal incentives to businessmen were planned.
The official said that development and completion of port infrastructure, connection of the Caspian railway to the country's railway, attraction of private sector investors in the construction of platforms are among the goals of the Anzali Trade -Industrial Freezone Organization, in the Caspian port this year.
"Given Iran's growing trade with Eurasian Economic Union member states and the opportunities created by Iran's free trade zones, it is hoped that the Caspian port will become a transit hub in the near future," he said.
Ofoghi said that one of the programs of the Anzali Anzali Trade -Industrial Freezone Organization is the activation of the North-South Corridor. Local and foreign agreements have been signed and steps have been taken to activate this corridor.
There are three platforms in the Caspian port of Iran. Two more platforms are planned to be commissioned in the next two years.
Iran's trade turnover with the Eurasian Economic Union in the five months (from October 27, 2019 to March 24, 2020) exceeded $1.48 billion. Some 67 percent of this trade turnover is related to imports and 33 percent to exports.
A temporary trade memorandum was signed between Iran and the EAEU on October 27, 2019. In accordance with the memorandum, 862 kinds of products will be imported and exported upon preferential tariffs between the two sides.
Under the agreement, Iran will export 502 types of products and import 360 kinds of products.
Iran will mainly export pistachios, kiwi, oil products, raisins, cucumbers, cabbages, dates, medicines, cement, copper and methanol to EAEU.
In turn, the country will primarily import mainly import barley, animal feed, vegetable oil and cathodes from the union's member states.