TEHRAN (Iran News) –Vice-President of Iran Fruit Union refuted claims that Iran has imported banana from Israel and said that this claim is like one to say that Iran has exported pineapple to some countries.

Speaking to ILNA, Sadreddin Niavarani refuted the allegations that Iran has imported banana from Israel and said main investors of a company in the Philippines may be Israelis and if it is proved, Iranian traders should stop trade with that company immediately.

He said that Israel is not a banana producer and Iranian traders do not have license for trade with Israel even through intermediary. He added that such a claim of importing banana from Israel is baseless because Iran imports it from the Philippines and in case it is proved that the investors of the Filipino company are Zionists, Iranian traders will immediately stop trade with it. He noted that some American apparel brands after removal of sanctions could not enter Iran’s market because their investors were Israelis.

Niavarani added that Iran is currently exporting over 250 tons of fruits daily to Qatar by air and sea and expressed hope the World Cup market would be a good consuming market for Iranian products and admitted that this market is temporary because Qatar’s population is 3m and increase in the amount of fruit exports to Qatar is because of the visitors to this country during the World Cup as the population has reached 3m.

He also said that imposing tariffs for export of tomato and onion has halted export of these products.

He added that export to Russia’s market is like the past and no pick-up is seen and China’s doors have not opened yet for Iranian traders.

Meanwhile Secretary of Iran’s Dried Fruit Exporters Association said that Iran’s dried fruits exports has declined to below one billion dollars due to recent decisions in the country.

The annual dried fruits export of Iran was around $3b that it has unfortunately fallen under one billion dollars.

Zeinnoddin Hashemi said that the reason behind the decline in the export of dried fruits is uncompetitiveness of the final cost of Iran’s products in the export markets.

He also blamed the decision for imposing 0.5% tariff for water which is used for the products and said that it has increased the final cost.

He went on to say that despite competitiveness advantages of Iran’s dried fruits in exporting markets its share is declining in the world and countries like the U.S. and Turkey have expanded their markets and unfortunately they are replacing Iranian products.