Baku, Azerbaijan, April 29
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
The price of paper in Iran has currently reached 5.5 million rials (app. $130), Hossein Mirbagheri, Head of the Union of Paper and Cardboard Distributors of Iran, told Tasnim News Agency, Trend reports.
According to Mirbagheri, when the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran took responsibility for regulating paper sales and prices, the price of paper stood at 1.3-1.45 million rials (app. $30.9-34.5) - however, paper prices eventually rose to 5.5 million rials.
"How can the price of paper – which was imported with the foreign currency allocated by the state's official exchange rate, and which businessmen gave to the aforementioned ministry for 1,38 million rials – increase threefold?," he said.
Mirbagheri added that if the foreign currency allocated by the state for importing paper will no longer be provided, a “not so pleasant situation” will arise when the time will come for the publishing of textbooks and other products during the coming months.
Mirbagheri said that 10 percent of paper distributors had to cease their operation last year (started March 21, 2018).
Over the past couple of days (as of April 29, 2019), the price of 1 pack of 70*100-sized 70-gram paper in Iran has risen to 1 million rials (app. $23.8).
Currently, 1 pack of paper is sold at 5.5 million rials.
An official exchange rate is in place for the import of the essential goods in Iran. According to this exchange rate, $1 is 42,000 rials.
