Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 12
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
Iran's Industry, Mine, and Trade ministry reported that the country produced 58.226 million tons of cement in the first ten months of the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, Iranian IRNA News Agency reported on Feb. 12.
Some 47.15 million tons of cement were supplied to the domestic market in the ten-month period.
Some 60.642 million tons of clinker was also produced in Iran during the mentioned period, which shows a 3.6 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
Iran's cement output amounted to 3.987 million tons in the tenth calendar month of Dey (ended Jan. 22). Some 5.861 million tons of clinker was also produced in the mentioned month, which is 11.6 per cent more than the same month last year.
Abdolreza Sheykhan, an official with the Iran's Cement Producers Association said on Jan. 11 that Iranexported 14.425 million tons of cement and clinker in the first three quarters of the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 21, Iran's IRIB News Agency reported.
"The figure shows 36.2 per cent increase compared to the same period last year," he said.
"Cement accounted for 11.164 million tons of the mentioned amount," he added.
Some 45 million tons of cement was also consumed domestically in the mentioned period.
The IRNA News Agency reported on Jan. 6 that Iran plans to export a 50,000-ton consignment of clinker toSaudi Arabia from the Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf.
Based on the signed contract with the Saudi side, Qeshm cement factory will export another 50,000-ton consignment of clinker to Riyadh by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20).
Qeshm cement factory has already exported 130,000 tons of cement and clinker to the Persian Gulf states from the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (which started on March 21, 2013).
The IRNA News Agency reported on June 23 that Iran currently exports cement to 24 countries includingIraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, theUnited Arab Emirates, Georgia, Oman, India, and China.
Seven countries out of the mentioned 24 accounted for 97 per cent of Iran's total cement exports.
Iraq with 63 percent, Azerbaijan with 4 per cent, and Turkmenistan with 7 percent were the main importers of Iranian cement.
Iran's cement and clinker exports stood at over 13.648 million tons in the previous calendar year, which ended March 20.
The country exported over 11.85 million tons of cement and 1.79 million tons of clinker in the mentioned period.
Iran produced 75 million tons of cement in previous year. The country's cement production capacity stands at 80 million tons.
Iran with total production of 65 million tons ranked as the world's third largest cement producer in 2012.
Former Industry, Mine and Trade Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari said in August 2012 that the country's cement production capacity will reach 110 million tons by 2015.
Edited by C.N.