home | site map | contact us | help | قسمت فارسي | back

Top Exports of Iran

Third Export Gathering Names Top Exporters Exports

Making of an exemplary Exporter

Each year on October 21”, the National Day of Exports, the Export Promotion Centre of Iran (EPCI) awards the top exporters of the country. The move is aimed at the introduction and encouragement of model exporters and provides an appropriate pattern to other manufacturers and exporters.

The initiative was, however, launched after the government introduced a policy of economic growth without oil revenues.

According to Article 2 of the provision of encouraging exemplary exporters, the top exporter, whether an institutional or individual party, should score the following merits:

1.      The value of the exported goods should stand at the highest level compared with other exporters in a fiscal period beginning on March 21” each year.

2.      The exporter should enjoy clean records of business and have fulfilled all of his obligations towards his foreign trading partners, the Customs Administration, etc.

3.      The packaging should be superior compared to the rivals.

Note 1. The supervisory committee of the provision has the right to declare any manufacturer exporting a new commodity or opening a new market as the exemplary exporter.

Note 2. A new commodity is defined as that which has never been exported before; meanwhile, a new market translates into a market which has not purchased the mentioned goods in the previous years.

Under Article 6 of the provision, the exemplary exporters will be awarded the EPCI’s Special Card, which entails the following privileges:

1.      Fifty per cent discount on the rental of stands at domestic exhibitions, and exemption from paying fifty percent of corporate taxes at international exhibitions set up by the EPCI in Tehran.

2.      Thirty per cent discount on overseas airfare for marketing purposes (maximum twice a year) for the company’s managing director or commercial manager (export manager).

3.      Thirty per cent discount on the rental of stands set up by the EPCI abroad.

4.      Exemption form leaving trust funds with the banking system for the receiving of banking facilities.

Note 1. State-run agencies, institutions and organisations should carry out the administrative formalities of the exemplary exporters and fulfil their demands for exprot affairs at the earliest convenience.

Note 2. The Special Card holds good for one year starting from the date of issuance.

Third National Gathering for Exports

The third conference of national resolve for exports was opened at the international fairgrounds of Tehran on 21” October 1999, attended by a number of cabinet minister, the Central Bank governor and Majlis representatives.

Reputable exporters need

Not obtain the standard certificate of export.

The EPCI introduced Iran’s 30 most successful exporters and presented them with awards. Chief among the factors used to single out the top exporters were divers export items, high quality, successful presence at the international markets, competitive goods in comparison with major producers of other countries, renovated production lines, punctual fulfilment of obligations… and success at the international tenders. According to the Minister of Commerce, Mr.Mohammad Shariatmadari, the goal in observing the day of national resolve for exports is to create nation-wide determination for the expansion of exports, promote social prestige of exporters, encourage the production of competitive goods, pick the top exporter of every field, follow up the country’s export targets, raise  the number of exporters, evaluate export policies and reform the weak areas.

The Minister also noted that before the national restructuring plan, the non-oil export policies were exclusively aimed at further gains. The exported goods were traditionally considered beyond the national consumption and exports were only used to regulate the domestic market.

Nowadays, the regulative policies have been replaced with protective policies.

Commercial policies particularly in the domain of exports are transparent enough to help production and boost exports.

He added that the Third Five-Year Economic, Social and Cultural Development Plan has envisioned 34.7 billion dollars in exports of non-oil goods and 6.7 billion dollars in services.

Against the 64 billion dollars of oil revenues, we will have 41.5 billion dollars of non-oil exports. The move is a major step towards curtailing the government’s reliance on oil proceeds.

He contended the Third Plan has predicted a raft of appropriate policies to trigger jump exports. Policies such as; the exemption of export goods and services from taxation, the refund of the customs duties and commercial profits of units producing export – bound goods, and lifting of the ban on the export of goods except those on which the government pays direct subsidies.

Iran’s potentials in the export of goods and services are far beyond the criteria set in the Third plan.

He added that the government has also given its full support to the export of services, exempted exporters from receiving case licences, endorsed the formation of non-public export development funds and the launch of comprehensive information systems.

In the meantime; the government will prevent a radical fall in the actual rate of foreign exchange, heed the financial needs of exporters, attract foreign investments into profitable areas, reform red tape, and launch and export terminal to be attended by the representative plenipotentiary of all relevant organisations linked linked to exports, he added.

The Minister asserted that measures are under way to extend the insurance coverage umbrella to all the exporters, set up export consultation centres in provinces, support research and development schemes, implement the monetary policies, champion export unions, facilitate trips to Iran for foreign tourists and entrepreneurs and relax transit regulations.

The huge potentials existing in Iran for the export of non-oil goods and services are far beyond the figures envisaged in the Third Plan, provided that the nation pay sober attention to the sweeping move, he warned.

Mr. Shariatmadari added that presently, there are ripe grounds in the foreign policy arena, and our trade partners have widely welcomed Iran’s détente policy to expand trade relations.

The Central bank governor Mohsen Nourbakhsh was another speaker at the gathering.

He explained that if an exporter opens a letter of credit, he will not need leave security funds with the banking system. Security fund of exports is a major hurdle on export, adding that the export Guarantee Fund of Iran is drawing up the provision of extending insurance coverage to the export goods.

Mr Nourbakhsh asserted that during the Third Plan, the Central Bank will seek to fix the foreign exchange rate, which itself hinges on the stabilisation of oil prices and the implementation of macroeconomic policies.

He added that a fixed rate of foreign exchange will spark competition among exporters, even those who have already been marginalised with the turbulent rate of foreign exchange.

The Year’s Exemplary Exporters

The 30 top exporters of 1378 (1399) which were presented this year with a trophy and a Special Card from the EPCI are as follows:

Simultaneous with the introduction of the top exporters, the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI) declare a list of 202 companies as the top exporters of the year . The ISIRI announced that the mentioned exporters need not obtain any standard certificate of export for their products by the end of 1379 (March 2000). They are as follows:

• ·        Car and Car Parts

• ·        Stell Industry,Power and Machinery Production

• ·        Cable

• ·        Tyre

• ·        chemical

• ·        Construction Industries

• ·        Textiles Industry

• ·        Shoes

• ·        Foodstuffs

• ·        Animal Intestine

• ·        Hide and Intestine

• ·        Dried Fruits, Saffron and Fruits