Official: Exports to Afghanistan Via Dogharoon Border Increase by 31%
TEHRAN — Iran says its
exports to Afghanistan through the Dogharoon border crossing have increased by 31 percent since March, compared to the same period last year, according to Mehdi Shirdel, the mayor of Taybad in northeastern Iran.
“From the start of this year to the end of November, 1,070,437 tonnes of goods were exported to Afghanistan through the Dogharoon border,” Shirdel said as he addressed reporters.
While Shirdel did not specify the total exports from last year, he noted that the increase represents a significant growth in trade between the two countries. Most of the exports to Afghanistan consisted of construction materials, fuel, and liquefied gas, he said.
Additionally, the transportation of goods through the border has seen a 26 percent increase compared to the same period last year, with 39,178 Iranian and Afghan trucks facilitating the trade.
Imports from Afghanistan to Iran during the same period totaled 65,594 tonnes, of which 63,054 tonnes were Afghan exports. This represents a more than sevenfold increase compared to the same period last year, Shirdel noted.
The Dogharoon border crossing, located 18 kilometers from the city of Taybad, is one of Iran’s top five economic border crossings and plays a significant role in the bilateral trade between the two countries.
While trade between the two nations has surged, economic analysts have expressed concerns about Afghanistan’s increasing reliance on imports. They warn that the imbalance could further entrench Afghanistan as a consumption-driven economy, hindering its long-term development.
Knowledge-Based Products Account for Iran’s 5% Exports Share
TEHRAN - Head of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) Muhammad Ali Dehghan Dehnavi says that knowledge-based companies’ products could account for five percent of the country’s exports share in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended March 20, 2024).
Dehnavi said that the products exported by the knowledge-based companies made up of 2.6 percent and 5 percent of the country’s exports share in weight and value, respectively compared to a year earlier.
He went on to say that export of non-oil commodities, especially exports relying upon the knowledge-based economy, plays an important role in the country’s economic security and development.
In contrast, dependency of exports and economy on the oil sales, semi-finished materials are one of the weak points of the country especially during the sanctions period and international restrictions, the deputy minister of industry, mine and trade emphasized.
Undoubtedly, knowledge-based and technological companies are presently considered as one of the leading components in spurring export of the country, he added.