BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 26
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
More than 311,000 tons of products worth 79 million were exported to various countries through the customs of the Mazandaran Province (northern Iran) within the first five months of the current Iranian year (March 20-August 21, 2020), director-general of Mazandaran Province Customs Office, Ali Yousefimanesh said, Trend reports citing Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
Yousefimanesh emphasized that the products were exported to 26 countries, including Iraq, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and the UAE, through Noshahr, Amirabad, Amol, Sari and Fereidoonkenar customs of Mazandaran Province during this period.
He added that the exported products were mainly milk and dairy products, various food products, rubber products, and paper.
"Due to the spread of the coronavirus in Iran, the product exports decreased to some extent in terms of volume over the past five months. However, there has been an increase in exports of some goods, including mining materials, fruit juices, and agricultural products," he said.
The director-general noted that 994,000 tons of products worth $217 million were exported through Iran's Mazandaran Province in the last Iranian year (from March 21, 2019, to March 20, 2020).
According to Yousefimanesh, 41,000 tons of products worth more than $337 million were imported through Iran's Mazandaran Province during the first five months of the current Iranian year.
The director-general said that the products were imported from some 20 countries, including Russia, the UAE, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, via three customs (Noshahr, Amirabad, and Fereidoonkenar) of Mazandaran Province.
"The imported products were mainly barley, corn feed, oilseeds, wood, agricultural equipment," he said.
The official stressed that $1.31 billion worth of products were imported through Iran's Mazandaran Province in the last Iranian year.
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, borders with many countries have been closed, therefore, Iran's trade turnover with other countries reduced to a minimum. Iran has begun to increase trade with other countries with the gradual opening of border checkpoints since the end of June.
Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 363,300 people have been infected, and 20,901 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 313,000 have reportedly recovered from the disease.
The country continues to apply strict measures to contain 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.
The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fishing market in late December 2019.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.