1230 GMT December 06, 2019
“Iran exported 405,000 tons of agricultural products worth $315 million to the EEU last year,” said Shahrokh Shajari, the head of Export Promotion Department of Agriculture Ministry, reported Fars News Agency.
He also noted that a sum of seven million tons of agricultural products and foodstuff valued at $6.41 billion were exported last year.
“Iran imported 20.5 million tons of agricultural goods worth around $10.7 billion in the year to March 20,” Shajari added.
The country imported 2.12 million tons of agricultural products worth $776 million, he pointed out, adding that Iran imports most of its agricultural products from Russia.
On Sunday, Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian highlighted the importance of Tehran’s closer cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union, and said the union provides a big opportunity to boost the Islamic Republic’s foreign trade.
Speaking at an international conference on Iran-EEU trade in Tehran, Ardakanian expressed hope that the conference would pave the way for closer economic ties between the two sides.
“The formation of the EEU is a good example of regional cooperation and with its expansion, the grounds for convergence of regional countries are provided more than ever, which will bring more peace and tranquility to the region,” he added.
“The development of trade with the EEU member states is a great opportunity for (Iran’s) foreign trade, and the two sides need to interact more closely,” the minister went on to say.
Minister in charge of Customs Cooperation of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Nurlan Akmatov and Veronika Nikishina, Minister in charge of Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) also participated in the international conference.
The Eurasian Economic Union includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.