Page 50 - IRANRptJun20

department.
The remaining 1 million tonnes should be imported by May 20, Hassan Nejad-Fallah was also quoted as saying.
Why did the Iranian chicken cross the border? Perhaps because Iranian customs officials have announced that export duties on chicken exports have been abolished until May 21, according to Mehr News Agency. Usually a closely guarded domestic industry, Iran’s chicken production sector saw a 50% decline in consumption in recent weeks as moves made to curtail the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic knocked chicken meal restaurant orders out of the picture.
The industry has also been hit by negative media surrounding its over-production. One video released recently on Iranian social networks showed the culling of thousands of chicks. The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence has launched an investigation.
Ordinarily, Iranian poultry producers rear some 125mn chicks per month for the "day-old" sector, but lately some 50-60mn chicks and chickens have proved surplus to requirements, with demand far below supply.
The removal of the tariff should help producers offset some losses with exports and at the same time earn some foreign currency for Iran.
9.1.10​ Retail sector news
Iran’s online e-commerce giant DigiKala, sometimes known as the “Iranian Amazon”, has invested in internet clothing retailer Komodaa, Webna has reported.
Digikala has consolidated its hold over the e-commerce market in Iran in recent years with an expansion into the food market and by becoming a marketplace for other retailers. The retailer is ranked fifth in Iran for website visits, with some 50mn hits a month.
According to Sana Khalesi, CEO of Komodaa, the investment will be in the form of a cooperation with the internet giant. She stressed that Komodaa would remain independent.
Khalesi declined to comment on how much Digikala was investing in Komodaa, but said that previous investor Smartup Ventures had pulled out in exchange for Digikala shares.
The CEO added that her company intended to spend the invested capital in developing technical, product and content infrastructure.
As part of the deal, Komodaa will use Digikala’s infrastructure, logistics, payment services and marketing department.
DigiKala’s PR department said it would release its statement on the investment at a later date.
9.1.11​ Construction & property sector news
The sale of several properties owned by the Iranian state in Albania, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan has been proposed in a letter sent to the Rouhani cabinet by Iran’s foreign ministry, according to details published by​ Cabinetoffice.ir​.
The properties include apartments, embassy buildings and land. Some of the properties are said to be in the way of redevelopment plans drawn up by the host cities. Unofficially, however, social media users are pointing to the empty coffers of the foreign ministry as the real reason for the sales appetite, with Iran struggling economically given the US sanctions throttling its economy.
50​ IRAN Country Report June 2020 www.intellinews.com