TEHRAN – Implementation of a program for indigenizing the knowledge for the production of industrial parts and equipment has saved Iran $2.2 billion in the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-December 20, 2020), according to the Deputy Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Mehdi Sadeqi Niaraki.

Speaking on the sidelines of a memorandum signing ceremony with the Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research (ACECR), Niaraki said since the implementation of the mentioned program several domestic production promotion desks have been held.

Based on the mentioned program the country’s industrial units sign deals with domestic manufacturers to meet their technological and equipment needs.

“Due to the coronavirus pandemic we were forced to hold some of the mentioned desks through online platforms,” the official said.

According to Niaraki, the fourth domestic production promotion desk for the auto industry and auto parts was held early this Iranian calendar year (started on March 20, 2020) in which 40 manufacturers participated and deals worth $60 million were signed.

The second desk on the petrochemical industry with $60 million worth of deals, the first desk on the refining industry with $80 million worth of contracts, and the fifth auto industry desk with $60 million worth of agreements were also held in the mentioned nine months, Niaraki said.

He noted that a total of $240 million worth of deals were signed between domestic manufacturers and industrial complexes in the mentioned domestic production promotion desks during the said time span.

The program for holding domestic production promotion desks has been defined by the government to supply products, equipment, and machinery needed in various industrial fields using the capacities of the domestic producers and to increase self-sufficiency in the mentioned areas.

Back in August 2020, the Industry Ministry announced that relying on domestic production had saved Iran €1.045 billion since the implementation of the program in 2019 up to the mentioned month in which 11 desks had been held on the matter.

Of the mentioned amount, €143 million was the share of oil, gas, and petrochemical industries and €118 million was the share of telecommunications, electricity, and electronics.

Back in 2019, the Iranian Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister at the time, Reza Rahmani, had said that relying on domestic production was going to save $10 billion for the country in two years.

In October 2019, Leader of Islamic Revolution Seyed Ali Khamenei had urged government officials to ban the import of goods that are also produced domestically.

EF/MA