Tehran Times - Iran�s Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade has implemented several programs for promoting domestic production and increasing exports in the current Iranian calendar year.

Coming under seven major axes, the ministry�s programs mainly focus on developing and supporting domestic production as well as expanding exports to the neighboring countries.

Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), supporting the country�s exporters and creating specialized working groups in order to promote exports to the neighboring countries, reviving the country�s idle production units and small and medium sized mines, supporting domestic auto part manufacturers, holding exhibitions for encouraging domestic production, signing cooperation agreements with knowledge-based companies and universities are among the major steps taken by the industry ministry in order to promote domestic production and boost exports.

What follows is a summary of some of the steps that have been taken by Iran�s Industry, Mining and Trade Ministry since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21).

Tavaniran system

Launching a system (known as Tavaniran) for registering the country�s production units� information in order to create a database for future references has been one of the major steps took by the industry ministry in order to promote domestic production.

1st exhibition of domestic production opportunities

Holding the country�s first exhibition of domestic production opportunities and manufacturing boom was another major program followed through by the ministry.

The exhibition hosted over 220 companies active in various fields like automotive and spare parts, household appliances, mineral industries, oil, gas and petrochemical industries, telecommunications and marine industries.

In the exhibition industry parties active in various fields like automotive and spare parts, household appliances, mineral industries, oil, gas and petrochemical industries, telecommunications and marine industries presented their technological or financial needs and requirements and signed several cooperation agreements with knowledge supply partners such as universities, research centers, knowledge-based companies, investors, entrepreneurs as well as fundraising and supportive organizations which would provide them with their technological, technical or even financial requirements.

Adding new items to imports blacklist

Another major step that the industry ministry took in order to support domestic production was to ban the imports of commodities which their similar products were being produced inside the country.

In mid-July Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani said that the imports of 148 new commodities has been banned by the ministry to rise the number of such items to 1487.

Supporting production units in flood-hit regions

Supporting production units to resume operation in the country�s flood-hit regions was yet another important program followed and done by the industry ministry.
Over 321 production units resumed operation with the support of the ministry after hit by devastating flood in early March and April.

Introducing a plan for expanding exports to neighboring countries

Introducing a plan for expanding exports to the country�s 15 neighbors was another important step taken by the ministry in the current Iranian year.

Signing 22 industrial and trade agreements with Iraq and establishing 141 specialized tables for improving exports to various target countries were among the outcomes of this major plan.

Reviving small mines

Reviving the country�s small mines has been among the industry ministry�s top priorities in the current year.

Previously, due to lack of liquidity and infrastructure, exploration projects were not seen economically viable for these mines, but now with ministry focused on encouraging domestic production they have once again come under the spotlight.

In this regard, seven provinces were surveyed for activation of small and medium-sized mines and 150 mines were put on agenda to be revived for which so far 79 executive packages have been prepared and introduced.

Supporting auto part manufacturers

Allocating 40 trillion rials (about $953 million) for supporting domestic auto parts manufacturers has been another major program executed by the ministry.

According to Seyed Reza Mofidi, the director general of the industry ministry�s automotive and transportation industries office, so far nearly 7.4 trillion rials (about $177 million) worth of deals have been signed with domestic auto part manufacturers in this office, which have saved the country over �85 million.