Exports From North Khorasan; Foreign Investments In Khorasan Razavi

Bojnourd, North Khorasan Prov., Oct 18, IRNA – General Manager of Industry, Mine and Trade of this northeastern province Yahya Nikdel said $100 million worth of goods were exported to 13 countries in the first half of the current year (started March 21). Nikdel told IRNA that the commodities were exported to Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Iraq, India, Sri Lanka, Russia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Malaysia, Japan and the UAE. He further remarked that the volume of exports showed an increase of 22% in terms of value and 21% in terms of weight as compared to the same period last year. The export goods, he added, included petrochemical substances, aluminum oxide, steel and plastic products, construction material and foodstuffs. Nikdel said exports from the provincial customs department in the first half of the current year amounted to $36 million in terms of value and 95 thousand tons in terms of weight which showed a decrease of 16% and an increase of 23% respectively as compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, Chairman of Economic Affairs and Finance Department of Khorasan Razavi Province Seyed Ali Shahabi told IRNA on Saturday that some 300 applications have been received in the first half of the current year for registration of foreign investment. Stressing that the figure showed an outstanding increase as compared to the same period a year ago, he said during the 12 months of the last year a total of 317 applications were received in this regard. Pointing to production, industry and mine and tourism as the main fields of activities of foreign companies, Shahabi said so far 128 foreign investment plans with a capital of $570 million have been registered in the province. He said Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kuwait stand in the first to third ranks with regard to the number of plans for investment, adding that most investments are in the field of tourism. /end