Xinhua -- Iran imported more than 83 tons of raw silk worth about 3.44 million U.S. dollars during the first five months (March 21-Aug. 22) of the current Iranian calendar year, Financial Tribune daily reported on Thursday.

Germany was the biggest exporter of raw silk to Iran in the five months with 38 tons worth 1.59 million dollars.

Other main exporters of raw silk during the period were Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates and Spain.

According to the report, about 292 tons of raw silk worth 11.28 million dollars were imported to Iran during the past Iranian calendar year.

Ali Asghar Dadashpour, the former head of Iran Sericulture Expansion Center, told Financial Tribune that Iran is the world's eighth biggest country in the field of silk farming.