A total of 54,000 tons of cement have been exported from Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province since the beginning of the current Iranian year on March 20, a local official said.
“The cargos have been transported by 2,056 trucks through Milak border crossing,” Ayoub Kord was also quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.
More than 17.5 million tons of cement and clinker were exported from Iran in the last Iranian year (March 2019-20), registering a 32% growth compared with the previous year, according to the head of Cement Employers Association.
“Cement accounted for 6.7 million tons and clinker for 10.8 million tons of the total sum. Our main export destinations over the period were Iraq, Kuwait, the Persian Gulf littoral states, China, Bangladesh, India and Central Asian Countries,” Abdolreza Sheikhan was quoted as saying by Mizan Online.
A total of 60.3 million tons of cement and 66 million tons of clinker were produced in Iran last year, showing a 9% and 6.9% rise compared with the year before, he added.
According to Sheikhan, Iran is the world’s sixth biggest exporter of cement chain products.
“Iran’s cement production capacity stands at 87.5 million tons per year,” he said.
Iran was ranked the seventh biggest producer of cement in the world in 2019, with the production of 60 million tons. The country was previously the world’s eighth biggest cement producer with 58 million tons, as Turkey was the seventh biggest producer with 72.5 million tons.
However, as Turkey decreased its production in 2019, Iran took the seventh place, Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization cited United States Geological Survey as reporting.
A total of $499 million worth of goods were exported from Iran to Afghanistan during the first three months of the current Iranian year (March 20-June 20).
Despite the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Iran and the region, it was business as usual at Milak amid strict observance of health protocols in May.
Iran’s other crossings to Afghanistan, Mahiroud and Dogharoun, are also open for trade, according to Spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration Rouhollah Latifi.
