Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 26
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran will export its first trout consignment, worth $1 million to Russia in the current week, Isa Golshahi, an official with Iran Fisheries Organization said.
The cargo including 200 metric tons of trout is planed to be exported to Russia in next days, Golshahi said, Iran's Fars news agency reported Jan. 26.
He also forecasted that Iran will export about 30,000 metric tons of sea foods to Russia in one year including 5000 metric tons of shrimp and 5-10 thousand metric tons of trout as well as 15,000 tons of other fishes.
Iran has exported 30 metric tons of shrimps, worth $300,000 to Russia so far, Golshahi said.
He also touched upon the problems on Iran's exports to Russia saying inadequate maritime transport infrastructures between Iran and Russia delays exports.
The issue of reaching agreement between the two sides' businesspersons also needs time, he added.
Earlier Hasan Salehi, the head of Iran Fisheries Organization said that Iran has the capacity to export 20,000 metric tons of trout as well as 5,000 metric tons of shrimp to Moscow by the end of the current Iranian fiscal year (March 20).
In August 2014, Moscow banned importing certain items from the western countries in response to economic sanctions imposed on Russia over its alleged role in escalating the Ukrainian crisis.
The ban, targeting meat, fish, poultry and milk products, nuts, fruits and vegetables, is expected to last for a year. Iran, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Mexico have expressed their willingness to boost food exports to Russia.
During an official visit to Tehran by a high-ranking Russian delegation, the country officially requested Iran to increase its agricultural products and food stuff exports to Moscow in order to meet the country's domestic demands.
Analysts believe that the western sanctions imposed on Russia, and Moscow's self-imposed bans on importing western goods have created a great opportunity for Iranian goods to enter Russian market.
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