"Hygiene and related industries account for 5% of the added value generated by Iran’s industries, thanks to the competitive edge developed through the local production of raw materials, employment of efficient workforce and operation of modern machinery," ILNA also quoted Mohsen Salehinia as saying.
Bakhtiyar Alambeigi, the head of the Association of Iran Hygiene and Toiletries Industries, said Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and several European countries and Persian Gulf states are the main export markets of Iran’s detergents, cleansers, hygiene and cellulose products.
Domestic consumption of such products stands at 200 trillion rials ($1.3 billion) annually. Although the production capacity of local hygiene and related industries is 2.5 times more than domestic consumption, as much as $2 billion worth of cosmetics and hygienic products are smuggled into the country annually, Financial Tribune reported.
The 26th edition of International Exhibition of Detergents, Cleansers, Hygienic and Cellulose Products and Related Machinery, otherwise known as "Iran Beauty and Clean", opened at Tehran International Permanent Fairground on Monday.
Some 265 domestic as well as foreign companies from South Korea, Germany, India, China, Turkey, France, Italy and Spain took part in the four-day exhibition, which wrapped up on April 25.