Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 9
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran exported $28.671 million worth of goods to Azerbaijan via the suitcase trade during the 8-month period from March 21 to Nov. 22, which indicates an increase by 32.46 percent compared to the same period of preceding year (Iran's fiscal year starts on March 21).
The Islamic Republic has exported goods worth $15.293 million via Astara, $7.229 million via Bilasuvar, $5.384 million via Julfa, and $765,000 via Poldasht custom checkpoints to Azerbaijan during the mentioned period, the Iranian Custom Administration said.
Exports in the form of suitcase trade through Julfa, Bilasuvar and Astara witnessed an increase by 379.5 percent, 60.24 percent and 30.72 percent respectively, meanwhile the exports via Poldasht custom checkpoint has fallen by 82.26 percent during the period year on year.
Iran has exported $51.245 million worth of goods to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) via the suitcase trade during March 21 - Nov. 22, which is 32 percent less compared to the first eight months of the last Iranian fiscal year (March 21- Nov. 22, 2013).
The figure shares only 0.23 percent of the total export value of the country during the period for 2014.
During the last Iranian fiscal year (ended on March 20), the same trade was worth $101.46 million which was 26.92 percent more than the suitcase trade exports in the preceding year.
Iran's non-oil foreign trade amounted to $65.7 billion in the first eight months of the current Iranian fiscal year.
Iran's non-oil exports accounted for $31.447 billion of the mentioned amount, while imports accounted for $34.254 billion.
Umid Niayesh is Trend Agency's staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @UmidNiayesh