BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 4. Circa 5.52 million tons of essential products (including, animal feed and related products, fishery products, agricultural and food products) worth $3.8 billion were imported to Iran, during the first three months of the current Iranian year (March 21 through June 21, 2023), a member of the international and foreign trade committee of the House of Industry, Mine and Trade of Iran Rouhollah Latifi said on social media, Trend reports.
Latifi noted that the mentioned essential products accounted for 27.1 percent of Iran’s total imports in value and 64.5 percent in volume for 3 months.
Overall, Iran imported 9.6 million tons of non-oil products worth $14 billion within the first three months of the current Iranian year, which is an increase of 5.79 percent in value and 1 percent in volume compared to the same period in the last year.
The official added that 2.44 million tons of corn feed worth more than $1 billion were imported to the country for the reporting period. This is an increase of 57 percent in value and 46 percent in volume compared to the same period last year.
According to him, Iran also imported 402,000 tons of cooking oil worth $663 million over 3 months. Cooking oil import increased by 28 percent in value and 33 percent in volume compared to the same period in the last Iranian year.
“In addition, 593,000 tons of soybeans worth approximately $447 million were imported to the country. This is an increase of 15 percent in value and 11 percent in volume compared to the same period last year,” Latifi said.
Latifi also pointed out that 336,000 tons of rice worth $396 million were imported to Iran for three months, which is a decrease of 17 percent in value and 38 percent in volume compared to the same period in the last year.
During 3 months, Iran imported 791,000 tons of wheat worth $349 million. Wheat imports decreased by 44 percent in value and 48 percent in volume compared to the same period last year, he said.
“All the while, 396,000 tons of barley worth approximately $158 million were imported to the country within the mentioned period. Barley import increased by 129 percent in value and 121 percent in volume compared to the same period last year,” the official noted.
As to Iran’s livestock and fishery products import Latifi said that the import amounted to 22,500 tons worth $92 million in 3 months. This shows a 17 percent increase in value, while a 29 percent decrease compared to the same period last year.
"Over 3 months, $87 million worth of bananas, $67.2 million worth of sugar, $60.2 million worth of tea, $50 million worth of pulses, $50 million worth of compressed soybeans, $43 million worth of various spices, $12 million worth of mangoes, $6 million worth of peanuts, $5 million worth of courgette, $5 million worth of coconuts, $4.7 million worth of food feeders, $3.5 million worth of coffee, $2.5 million worth of pineapples were imported to Iran,” the official added.