Tehran – The Secretary-General of the National Association of Household Appliance Manufacturers of Iran announced a 20 percent growth in household appliance production during the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-November 21) compared to the same period last year.

 “Domestic manufacturers have produced a total of 13.84 million large and small household appliances over the past eight months, demonstrating notable growth compared to the previous year.” Omid Fazelinia told IRNA.

Highlighting the challenges faced by producers, Fazelinia emphasized the need for decisive action to overcome obstacles in the production sector to maintain and further this growth.

He pointed out that "Out of the $7.0 billion financial turnover in the household appliance market, approximately $1.5 to $2.0 billion is the share of smuggled goods." He noted that these unauthorized products are often more readily available to consumers in local markets than domestic alternatives.

Fazelinia explained that smuggled goods enter the country under the guise of cross-border trade laws, transit allowances, and border carrying, despite such laws being designated for specific border regions.

He also criticized the lack of oversight on online platforms, where smuggled household appliances bearing well-known brand names are openly sold through certain websites and social media channels.

The Secretary-General expressed concern about the temporary nature of anti-smuggling campaigns, stating: “Efforts must be made to create an unfavorable environment for smuggled goods. Domestic producers dedicate approximately 30 percent of production costs to expenses like taxes and after-sales services, whereas smugglers profit without paying import duties or taxes.”

Fazelinia stressed the importance of eliminating the profitability of smuggled goods and criticized the practice of auctioning confiscated smuggled items through state-owned asset management organizations. He stated: “This is happening despite the Supreme Leader’s emphasis on the destruction of smuggled goods.”

EF/MA