Iran Exports Construction Materials Worth $2m to African States
IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK
TEHRAN – Farzad Piltan, the director-general of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO)’s Office of Arabian and African Countries, says Iran exported construction materials worth $2m to African states.
Speaking to Fars News Agency, Piltan talked about Iran’s exports of construction materials to African continent, saying that export of construction materials and equipment like wire and cable, tile and ceramic, switches and sockets, stone, porcelain and ceramics, sanitary valves, bath and shower, door and window, pipe and profile to the world stood at around $620m last year and Iraq and Afghanistan were the major destinations for export of Iran’s construction material and Turkey, the UAE and Azerbaijan were the other destinations.
Piltan noted that last year, the volume of export of construction materials and equipment to Africa states was around $2m last year.
He added that Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria were the top destinations for export of Iran’s construction materials in Africa. Piltan reiterated that China, with exporting goods worth $2.2b, is the top exporter to the African Continent. Spain with $1b, Italy with $700m, India with $400m, France with $365m and Turkey with $360m are the other major exporters to this continent.
He further said that lack of interest and determination, appropriate planning by the private sector for exports to African states as well as export risks and transportation woes are the main reasons for this insignificant amount of exports to Africa.
Piltan added that banking problem and lack of acquaintance with African market’s demands as well as lack of acquaintance of African traders with Iran’s export potentials are the other factors behind this lackluster amount of trade.
He noted that despite concentration on developing exports with neighboring states, the TPO has not been negligent of developing trade with African states and it has held several expert meetings with officials and related bodies to boost trade with African states.
Piltan reiterated that TPO is working on introducing new markets to Iranian exporters and offering solutions for entry of businessmen into those markets, noting that African states are good markets for Iran’s exports but first some problems like transportation and banking transactions should be sorted out in order to encourage Iranian exporters to trade with African states.
