TEHRAN- Iranian Transport and Urban Development Ministry and Agriculture Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in order to cooperate for facilitation of the imports of basic goods into the country.

The MOU was signed by Transport and Urban Development Minister Rostam Qasemi and Agriculture Minister Javad Sadatinejad on Sunday in a ceremony at the place of Transport and Urban Development Ministry in the presence of the two ministers’ deputies.

Addressing the mentioned ceremony, the minister of transport and urban development underlined the high capacities of the country in the field of transportation, especially in the maritime and rail sectors, and emphasized the need to use them efficiently and effectively to supply basic goods from their countries of origin and distribute them in a balanced way.

Iran imported 30.9 million tons of basic goods in the past Iranian calendar year 1400 (ended on March 20), an official with the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) told ISNA.

Foroud Asgari, the deputy head of IRICA for customs affairs, said that the imported goods were in 25 commodity groups.

Putting the value of the imported basic commodities at $19.6 billion in the past year, the official said that the imports show a 60-percent rise in worth and 32-percent growth in weight, as compared to the Iranian calendar year 1399.

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Photo: Transport and Urban Development Minister Rostam Qasemi (L) and Agriculture Minister Javad Sadatinejad