Iran’s car exports fall by 89 percent

Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.28 By Umid Niayesh - Trend: Iran exported 4,824 sedans during the first nine months of the current solar year (starting on March 21) which indicates an 88.97 percent decrease compared to the same period of last year. The value of the exported cars was around $33 million which is 87.24 percent less than in the same period of last year, according to the Iranian Custom Administration's latest monthly report released on Dec. 28. The average car price was $6,794, which indicates a 15.72 percent increase this year. Iran has exported 2542, 1147 and 612 sedan cars to Iraq, Azerbaijan and Egypt respectively during the period. Iran imported 44,647 sedan cars, worth $ 924 million during nine months, which indicates an increase of 49.24 and 31.35 percent respectively in terms of volume and value compared to the first nine months of last year. The average price of imported cars was $20,704 which indicates an 11.99 percent decrease in price compared to last year. Iran has imported 33,899 cars from the UAE, 7,099 cars from China and 1,529 cars from Kuwait during the period. Iranian carmakers produced around 72,000 cars in the past Iranian calendar month of Azar (ending on Dec. 21). Although the output rose significantly compared to a month ago, but it was lower than the figure correspondent to the same month last year. According to Iranian Deputy Industry Minister Mohsen Salehnia, national car production has reached 520,000 since the beginning of the current Iranian year, which shows a 24.5 percent decline year on year. The country produced 425,253 cars in the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year. Some 361,097 sedan cars, 59,211 pickup trucks, 4,672 trucks, 219 buses and 54 minibuses were produced in the country in the same period. Iran produced 989,110 cars in 2012, which made the country Asia's eighth largest car manufacturer. Iran's automobile output faced a 40 percent decrease in 2012. The country was Asia's 5th largest car manufacturer in 2011, with a total output of 1,648,505. Increasing prices on raw materials and foreign currencies are car manufacturers' main problems in Iran. Follow us on Twitter @TRENDNewsAgency