Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 28
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
More than 191,000 tons of non-oil goods, worth $103 million, were exported through customs in Iran’s northwestern city of Astara in the first eight months of current Iranian fiscal year (March 20-Nov. 22), Rasoul Omidi, head of Astara Customs Administration, said.
Agriculture and food products, cement, plaster, chemicals, detergents, handicrafts, textile, shoes, bags, carpet, construction materials, mineral products, metals and plastic products were the main export items, Omidi told reporters.
The official named Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia as the main destinations for the exported items.
Omidi further said Iran imported about 165,000 tons of goods, worth $58 million, via Astara customs during the 8-month period.
Also 60,000 tons of goods, worth $99 million, including petroleum products, cotton, synthetic fibers, iron ingots and iron sheets, copper, fiberglass and wood were transited via the Astara checkpoint, the official said, adding the figures indicate an increase by 65 and 14 percent in terms of volume and value, respectively, year on year.
The goods were transited from Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Georgia and Russia to Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.
About 189,000 tons of goods (a 20 percent increase year on year), worth $866 million (a 43 percent increase), were also transited via Astara to foreign countries during the period, added Omidi.
Goods including electrical appliances, cars, furniture, machinery, medical equipment, construction materials, textile products, chemicals, and agricultural products were transited to Ukraine, Georgia, Russia and Azerbaijan, he added.
The Islamic Republic also exported 89 tons of goods, including agricultural and food products as well as plastic materials, worth $264,000 to Azerbaijan via the suitcase trade from Astara customs during the first eight months of current Iranian fiscal year, Omidi said.
More than 507,314 people crossed the border checkpoint in Astara during the period, the official said.
Astara is Iran’s third border checkpoint in terms of passenger traffic.