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Mohammadreza Modoudi told ISNA that in the same period, Iran recorded a positive trade balance of $ 1 billion, adding in case optimum use is made of domestic capacities, the figure can increase further.
He put the value of Iran’s non-oil exports during the seven-month period to October 22 at over $ 27.3 billion whereas the figure exceeded $ 30 billion in the eight months to November 21.
Modoudi added that exports of techno-engineering services in the same eight-month duration stood at $ 500 million, but the figure fails to indicate a significant year-on-year increase and meet the expectations from the sector.
“There is a big gap between the sector’s potentials and the value of its overseas sales.”
On Wednesday, Farhad Nouri, the director of the TPO’s foreign trade office, said Iran’s foreign trade of over $ 27 billion during March-October was also 14 percent higher than the figure for the same time-span a year ago.
He noted that at present, on average, each ton of Iranian products is sold at $ 400, whereas the country purchases the same tonnage of goods at $ 1,400.
Nouri called for closing this gap, noting, “Iran should export products with higher added value.”
Describing the current situation Iran is facing as abnormal, Nouri said, “Under the present circumstances, we are in a guerrilla warfare and the enemy is behaving wisely. Thus, in addition to ensuring more effective coordination, practical solutions should be worked out to raise the value of exports.”
He added 70 percent of the imports pertain to staples as well as intermediate and capital goods while the rest are unnecessary and luxury goods whose purchase should be controlled.
Source: Iran Daily
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