Facilitating exports could compensate for pandemic's economic damages

Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Board Member Keyvan Kashefi says the economic damages caused by the coronavirus outbreak to the country’s non-oil exports can be compensated if the government facilitates exports after the virus is contained, ICCIMA portal reported.

Noting that the Coronavirus outbreak has affected trade around the world, including in Iran, Kashefi said: "In Farvardin [the first Iranian calendar month] this year, we had a 36-percent decrease in exports and Iran's trade balance reached minus $279 million."

The official noted that the main reason for the decline in exports was the closure of the trade borders due to the pandemic, adding that the exchanges which took place through sea or railways were less damaged.

“For example, exports to countries such as China and the UAE, which are mainly by ship, are underway almost like before; however, exports through trucks and land crossings bore the greatest impact, and we had the largest decline in exports to countries that traded with us through land, including Iraq.”

"If the spread of coronavirus continues and the borders remain closed, we will see a significant reduction in exports this year, but the exact figure is still not estimated," Kashefi said.

According to the official, one of the issues that the government should pay attention to in order to compensate for the decrease in exports is to support the exports of commodities that are needed in the current situation in the world.

“Various types of sanitizers and disinfectants that are produced in sufficient quantities in the country are among these commodities,” he said.

source: TehranTimes