TEHRAN- Iran’s value of sweets, chocolates, and cereal products export has risen five percent in the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-October 21), compared to the same period of time in the past year, according to an official with Trade Promotion Organization (TPO).

Mahmoud Bazari, the director-general of TPO’s office of agricultural products and processing industries, also said that the export of the mentioned products has increased 13 percent in terms of weight.

Given the importance of the industry's products in the country's non-oil export basket, it is possible to expand exports of these products through adopting coordinated policies in the field of non-oil export management and removing obstacles that the exporting companies faces, including temporary import of raw materials, the supply of raw materials, liquidity and working capital, the official noted.

The confectionery and chocolate industry is one of the oldest food industries in Iran, and it is now the second-largest exporter in the country's food sector after the dairy industry.

About 100 percent of the investment in this industry belongs to the private sector and most of its products are competitive globally.

The advantage of the confectionery and chocolate industry is the supply of its raw materials inside the country.

With this advantage, any investment will bring profit to this industry.

As a result of supporting domestic producers and products and banning the import of foreign products in this sector, Iranian producers are now able to meet the needs of the domestic market and are welcomed by domestic consumers.

This industry is also targeted to boost export to different markets all around the world.

Iran exports sweets and chocolates to 66 countries and the annual export of $1 billion has been planned for this industry.

The Chairman of the Association of Iranian Confectionery Manufacturing Companies Jamshid Maghazei says that the country’s annual export of sweets and chocolates is estimated to reach $550 million- $600 million this year.

MA/MA