Financial Tribune - More than $181 million worth of goods were exported from the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan to Afghanistan during the first two months of the current Iranian year (March 20-May 20) to register a 56% rise compared with last year�s corresponding period.

According to Mohammad Rafi Soltanzadeh, a provincial official, the exports mainly included cement, apples, tiles and ceramics, IRNA reported.

Iran exported 1.06 million tons of commodities worth $341 million to Afghanistan during the first two months of the current Iranian year (March 20-May 20) to register a 3.5% rise in tonnage and an 8% decline in value compared with last year�s corresponding period.

According to the spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, Rouhollah Latifi, major commodities exported to Afghanistan during the period under review included fruit and vegetable, foodstuff, industrial goods and construction materials.

Tomatoes topped the list of exports with over $26 million, followed by iron bars with $23 million, pastry and chocolates with $10.2 million, oil derivatives with $8 million, cream with $7.67 million, urea with $7.6 million, cement with $7.61 million, fruit juice with $6.5 million, watermelon with $6 million and apples with $5.8 million, Mehr News Agency reported.

Over $850,000 worth of day-old chickens were exported to Afghanistan during the period.