Iran-Uzbekistan trade exceeds $280m in five months
Trade between Iran and Uzbekistan exceeded $280 million in the first five months of the current Iranian year, which began on March 21, Iran’s commercial attaché in Uzbekistan Rahmatollah Khormaly said on Sunday.
Khormaly said agricultural exports, technological cooperation and joint investment were among the main areas for expanding trade between the two countries, according to IRNA.
He said coordination between the agriculture ministries of Iran and Uzbekistan had paved the way for a 120-member delegation, led by Iran’s agriculture minister and comprising agricultural, fisheries, machinery and food-processing specialists and businesspeople, to visit Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan, one of the most populous countries in Central Asia, is Iran’s second-largest export destination among the Commonwealth of Independent States, he said, adding that the country has significant potential for expanding trade ties with Iran.
Agriculture is one of the priority areas for developing bilateral trade, Khormaly said, noting that Iran currently exports citrus fruits, apples, kiwis, pistachios, dates, dairy products, powdered milk and fish feed to Uzbekistan.
Given the capacity of the Uzbek market, there is also room to expand and diversify Iran’s agricultural exports, he said.
Khormaly also highlighted the potential for technological cooperation, saying about 30 projects worth $770 million in various fields, including agriculture, are currently being implemented in Uzbekistan by Iranian companies.
He said the projects demonstrated the significant capacity of Iran’s private sector to operate in the Uzbek market.
Khormaly said specialized meetings and greater interaction between officials and businesspeople from the two countries, particularly in agriculture, could help expand bilateral cooperation and increase trade between Iran and Uzbekistan.