Iran Industrial Investments on the Decline

EghtesadOnline: More than 1.61 quadrillion rials ($12.19 billion) worth of investments have been made in industrial units with establishment permits were issued while more than 227.54 trillion rials ($1.71 million) were invested in projects with operating licenses during the first seven months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Oct. 22).

News ID: ۷۴۹۱۵۱

10 December 2019

The investment volumes show a respective decline of 16.1% and 37.2% compared with the similar period of last year, the latest report released by the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade shows.

Establishment Permits

A total of 15,020 establishment permits were issued over the six months under review, registering a 16.7% growth year-on-year. These projects are expected to create 349,523 jobs, which is 14.9% more compared with last year's corresponding period.

Yazd Province with 1,599, Semnan Province with 1,394 and Khorasan Razavi Province with 1,242 had the largest share of establishment permits issued during the period, according to Financial Tribune.

Kerman Province, with more than 153.39 trillion rials (over $1.15 billion) worth of investments for 331 establishment permits, attracted the highest amount of investments.

The number of establishment permits issued for industrial units located in free trade and special economic zones decreased by 15.1% to 169. Over 180.33 trillion rials ($1.36 million) worth of investments are estimated to be made in these projects to generate 9.125 jobs and register a 41.9% and 8.3% fall YOY respectively.

The field of foodstuff and beverages saw the highest number of establishment permits (1,930) to create the largest number of jobs among other fields (46,648).

The highest volume of investment in these units is expected to be made in projects related to coke and oil derivatives production with 312.52 trillion rials (close to $2.36 billion). The volume accounts for 19.3% of all investments to be made in projects, for which establishment permits were issued over the period.

Operating Licenses

A total of 3,492 operating licenses were issued during the period under review, which shows a 5.9% growth YOY. These projects are expected to create 54,365 jobs, 9.4% less compared with last year's corresponding period.

East Azarbaijan Province with 313, Isfahan Province with 300 and Tehran Province with 233 had the biggest share of all operating licenses issued during the six months.

Tehran Province, with more than 48.8 trillion rials ($368.35 million), attracted the highest volume of investments in projects with operating licenses. This accounted for 21.4% of all investments made in projects with operation licenses.

The number of operating licenses issued for industrial projects located in free trade and special economic zones stood at 210, indicating a 25% growth YOY. Close to 20.3 trillion rials ($153.12 million) worth of investments were made in these projects to create 5,559 jobs, registering a 6.5% and 20.3% growth respectively YOY.

The field of food and beverages saw the highest number of operating licenses, namely 498.

The highest volume of investments in this regard were also made in projects related to food and beverage production with close to 61.19 trillion rials ($461.78 million), accounting for 26.9% of all investments made in industrial units for which operating licenses were issued. The same field created the highest number of jobs (8,606) over the seven-month period.

The number of greenfield projects for which operating licenses were issued stood at 1,805, some 134 of which were for those located in free trade and special economic zones. The remaining 1,687 permits were issued for the operation of brownfield projects, 76 of which were located in FTZs and special economic zones.

Mineral Production Permits

A total of 333 mineral production permits were issued during the period, registering a 0.3% rise compared with the similar period of last year.

These permits are expected to create 2,933 jobs, which indicate a 14.2% increase year-on-year.

The nominal mineral extraction capacity of these projects stands at more than 12.95 million tons, which shows a 5.8% growth compared with the corresponding period of last year.

The provinces of Fars with 34, Khorasan Razavi and South Khorasan with 32 each and Yazd with 20 had the largest share of production permits issued during the period.

Mineral production permits issued over the seven months are expected to create the highest number of jobs in Kerman Province (481), South Khorasan Province (293) Khorasan Razavi Province (287) and Fars Province (233).

The provinces of Fars, Khuzestan and Khorasan Razavi with a total of 1.58 million tons, 1.47 million tons and 1.28 million tons had the highest volume of nominal extraction capacities.

A total of 289 exploration permits were issued over the seven months to register a 2.5% increase YOY.

Exploration costs exceeded 496.7 billion rials ($3.75 million), registering a 53.8% increase YOY.