TEHRAN – Iran exported over $100 million worth of cellulose products in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20), according to Deputy Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Mehdi Sadeqi Niaraki.

“This industry [cellulose] has developed significantly over the past decade, for example, until 10 years ago we were an importer of tissue papers, but today we are among the exporters of this product,” Niaraki said at the opening ceremony of Iran’s 4th International Specialized Exhibition of Paper, Cardboard, Cellulose Products, and Related Machinery in Tehran on Monday.

The official noted that the production of tissues and packaging papers in the country grew significantly last year, and more than 700,000 tons of packing papers were also produced in the first two months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-May 21).

According to the official, domestic producers are currently capable of providing all types of cellulose products that the market is demanding, however, technical issues and the lack of raw materials have led the country to import most of the required materials for the production process.

Currently, 120,000 tons of sanitary tissues are consumed annually in the country, while the production in this field is more than 200,000 tons.

Iran’s 4th International Specialized Exhibition of Paper, Cardboard, Cellulose Products and Related Machinery kicked off at the Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds.

The inaugural ceremony of the four-day exhibit was attended by Deputy Industry Minister Mehdi Sadeqi Niaraki.

EF/MA