TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) – Iran is now exporting more than 3,300 kinds of non-oil products to over 150 countries, Iranian Deputy Industry, Mine and Trade Minister Alireza Shoja’i stated. International sanctions dropped exports of gas condensates and petrochemicals by 12 percent and 33 percent, respectively, last year, IRNA reported on Saturday. The past Iranian calendar year ended on March 20. The sanctions led to a total 6-percent drop in [non-oil] exports, he added. The trend of non-oil exports indicates that even in case of stopping oil exports, the economy can be managed through exports of non-oil products, the official commented.
Meanwhile, the official predicted that non-oil exports would exceed $50 billion by the end of the current year. Iran’s non-oil trade with outside world hit $94.8 billion in the past Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20, Iranian Customs Administration Director Abbas Memarnejad said on Monday. Non-oil exports stood at $41.5 billion, while imports amounted to $53.3 billion in the past year, he added. According to official statistics, the figures were $43.7 billion and $61.7 billion, respectively, in the calendar year which ended in March 2012.