66% Rise in Exports From Sistan-Baluchestan
EghtesadOnline: More than 439 tons of commodities worth $156.21 million have been exported from Sistan-Baluchestan Province’s customs terminals and border markets since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21), showing a 237% and 66% rise in tonnage and value respectively compared with the similar period of last year, superintendent of the province’s customs offices said on Saturday.
“Our main exported products during the period included cement, apples, coriander seeds, gas, fruits and dates, which were mainly shipped to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Oman and the UAE,” Mohammad Ali Khashi Qaleno was quoted as saying by IRNA.
The official noted that over the same period, a total of 78 tons of goods worth $49.58 million were imported through this southeastern province’s customs offices and border markets, registering a 54% and 37% decline respectively YOY.
“Wheat, rice, tangerines, bananas, auto spare parts, textile and sesame seeds were our main imported commodities, which mainly came from Russia, Pakistan, India, the UAE and China,” Qaleno said.
The number of incoming passengers over the period stood at 7,472 and the outgoing figure was at 8,172, indicating a 6,571% and 119% respective rise compared with the corresponding period of last year.
The official noted that consignments from Sistan-Baluchestan during the period were carried out through Zahedan, Mirjaveh, Milak and Chabahar checkpoints, as well as Pishin, Rimdan, Gamshad, Kouhak and Jalq border markets.
Pishin border terminal on the Iran-Pakistan frontier was officially inaugurated on April 21. The terminal sits between Sistan-Baluchestan Province of Iran’s Sarbaz County and the town of Mand in Pakistan’s Kech Makran Kech District, Balochistan Province.
The third border crossing between Pakistan and Iran is located 180 kilometers northeast of Chabahar Port. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the government has decided to open two new border crossings at Chowk Aap and Jalgi (Buleda) on border with Iran. He stated this in a tweet after a meeting with Minister for Defense Production Zubaida Jalal in Islamabad, PakTribune reported.
The interior minister said border crossings will not only help boost trade between Pakistan and Iran but also promote tourism in the area.
Sistan-Baluchestan is Iran’s largest province with an area of 187,502 sq km, which accounts for 11.5% of the total area of the country. It has 1,100 kilometers of land border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, and 310 kilometers of sea coastline with the Sea of Oman. It has a favorable climate for farming and agriculture, as well as copper, chromium, manganese, titanium, gold and antimony mines.
The province also enjoys easy access to Central Asian countries through Chabahar and Konarak ports, two major free ports in the province that facilitate international trade.