Atotal of 14,096 tons of Iran’s agrifood export consignments worth $9.19 million were sent back by nine export destinations during the first eight months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Nov. 21) on account of failure to meet standards, according to the spokesperson of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
“Russia returned 11,132 tons of Iranian agrifood products worth $3.3 million during the period,” Rouhollah Latifi was also quoted as saying by the Persian daily Ta’adol.
Russia recently returned 37 trucks loaded with Iranian bell pepper to the country from the Dagestan border crossing.
During the eight months, consignments of palm trees, potatoes and kiwis, among others, have been returned by destination countries.
Other countries that sent back similar consignments, the IRICA official added, were the UAE (688 tons $2.45 million), Turkmenistan (501 tons worth $1.29 million), Turkey (784 tons worth $998,425), Afghanistan (715 tons $478,699), Iraq (147 tons worth $352,448), Spain (64 tons worth $196,119), Belarus (35 tons worth $85,423) and Azerbaijan (26 tons worth $30,601).
Latifi noted that given the figures pertaining to retuned export goods over the eight months, Iranian exporters will face barriers in international markets if domestic export policies are not rectified to better meet global standards.