Iran’s non-oil exports to Iraq during the first six months of the current fiscal year (March 21-Sept. 22) stood at 13.9 million tons worth $3.8 billion, registering a 50% and 28% year-on-year growth in weight and value respectively, according to the head of the Iran-Iraq Chamber of Commerce.
“China and Turkey are our traditional competitors in the Iraqi market, but we are witnessing the growing willingness of countries such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan to take over and gain a lasting foothold in the Iraqi market,” Jahanbakhsh Sanjabi Shirazi was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
In fact, Iraq was Iran’s second biggest export destination during the period under review after China with 14.8 million tons of imports worth $6.5 billion.
Exports to Turkey reached 7.2 million tons worth $2.3 billion, the UAE 5.8 million tons worth $2.2 billion and Afghanistan 2.5 million tons worth $1 billion, according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
Iran’s total exports, excluding crude oil, stood at 60 million tons worth $21.8 billion in H1, showing a 30% and 61% rise in weight and value respectively year-on-year, IRICA chief, Mehdi Mirashrafi, was quoted as saying by Iribnews.ir.
According to Keyvan Kashefi, the head of Kermanshah Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, about 40% of Iran’s total exports to Iraq during the period were shipped from Kermanshah Province.
“Some 60-70% of these exported goods were produced in Kermanshah,” he was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Iran also exported to Iraq through the Iraqi Kurdish Region.
More than $11 billion worth of agrifood products have been exported to Iraq from Iran during the past five years, of which $3.7 billion were fruit and vegetable group, director general of Arab-African Affairs Bureau of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran said in June.
From the fiscal 2016-17 to fiscal 2020-21, about 30% of total exports to Iraq consisted of agricultural and food products, including fruits and vegetables, dairy products, sweets and chocolates, cereals, nuts and dried fruits, flowers and medicinal plants, of which fruits and vegetables had the largest volume of export from this group.
“During the period under review, despite the formation of the production process for these types of products in Iraq and the application of prohibitions and tariff and non-tariff restrictions on the import of some goods by the Iraqi government, Iran's exporters of agricultural products and food industry have managed to maintain a strong presence in Iraq,” Farzad Piltan was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
Fresh Fruits and vegetables, tomato, apple, watermelon, potato, onion, cucumbers and kiwi were the main goods exported to Iraq from Iran during the period.