Page 40 - IRANRptSep18

force to deal with the lack of newsprint reserves in the country. The Ministry of Industries, Mines and Trade intends to hasten the import of paper and pulp by abandoning regular import regulations.
Iranian importers of phones worth less than $300 are to receive the official Iranian rial (IRR) 42,000 to the dollar exchange rate, rather than being left exposed to the unofficial rate which stands at around IRR80,000, Tasnim news agency reported on July 21. It cited Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi as having confirmed the move. The move came after a row blew up over how the official rate was being made available for imports of luxury items such as the iPhone 10 and similar top-end smartphones. There were reports of traders immediately selling on the merchandise at prices set with the much higher unofficial rate and pocketing the difference. Rules on permissible imports have lately been changed in a way that indirectly bans expensive iPhones and Samsung’s even more expensive Galaxy series.
Jahromi also reportedly said that in order to meet short-term market demand more than 100,000 mobile phones would be released at the order of the state from importers found guilty of trade infringements.
Some mobile phone consignments were awaiting customs clearances for market entry, the minister said, adding that there was no shortage of market product. "The realisation of [the solutions applied to] this issue will help to create more competitive conditions among communication operators, which will benefit the end users," he was quoted as saying.
9.1.5 Agriculture sector news
Iran and Armenia have signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint production of agricultural machinery, Tasnim News Agency reported on August 20. An Iranian farming machinery industry already exists mainly thanks to previous joint ventures with American firms like Massey Ferguson that were in operation before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Much machinery stemming from that era, including tractors, is still being produced in Iran, but without licensing.
Iran’s commercial attache to Armenia Mohsen Rahimi said that the joint production deal would involve complete knock-down kits (CKD) for assembly, exported to Iran over the northern border with Armenia.
The agreement for the production of agricultural machinery was signed on August 19 by senior officials of both countries, including the deputy minister of the economy from both states. The news agency report did not name the firm which signed the deal. However, it is believed to be Iran Tractor Company, the major agricultural machinery manufacturing firm in Iran.
Iran hopes to gain a wider foothold in Armenia’s market as the first step to export machinery to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
Official figures show exports of saffron from Iran reached a value of €66.1mn in the first quarter of the current Persian year (started March 21), marking a 56% y/y increase, Mehr News Agency reported on August 7. When comparing its low weight to its high value, saffron is one of Iran’s most valuable export items after oil, petrochemicals, gas, automotive consignments and nuts. Iran is the world’s biggest saffron producer, accounting for more than 90% of global production. However, there is growing competition in cultivation from India and China. The Iranian Trade Promotion Organisation weighs the saffron exports at 55 metric tonnes, 52% up year on year. Razavi Khorasan
40 IRAN Country Report September 2018 www.intellinews.com