BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 7
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:
The product export increased by 36 percent in terms of value and decreased by 4 percent in terms of weight in Khuzestan province in southeastern Iran in the last Iranian year (from March 21, 2019 to March 20, 2020) compared to the preceding year (from March 21, 2018 to March 21, 2019), said Abdorrahman Naserian Deputy Chairman for Economic and Trade Affairs of the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization in Khuzestan province, Trend reports citing IRNA.
According to Naserian, last year, the province's exports exceeded $11 billion. Naserian added that last year, the value of province’s non-oil exports was planned at $9.3 billion, however, exports exceeded the plan by $1.7 billion.
The official said that about $9 billion worth of products were exported from Khuzestan province to Iraq. He added that the closure of major border customs with Iraq has dealt a major blow to the province's exports in this Iranian year (starting March 20, 2020).
"If the border remains closed, export of products from Khuzestan province to Iraq may stop completely and the Iraqi market will be taken over by other countries," he said.
There are Shalamcheh Chazabeh and Khorramshahr border customs in Khuzestan Province on the border with Iraq. At present, due to the spread of the coronavirus, these customs points are not operational.
Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.
The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.