Iraq to Remove Ban on Iranian Cement

By John Lee.

The secretary of Iran's Cement Industry Employers Association has said that Iraq has promised to remove its ban on the import of Iranian cement.

Fars news agency quotes Abdolreza Sheikhan as saying that following several meetings between Iranian and Iraqi officials, Baghdad promised to give priority to Iranian exports, once general ban on cement import is removed.

He said Iraq's cement demand is currently met from domestic production.

Iran's cement and clinker exports fell by 20 percent in the Iranian year ended March 20, and stood at 15 million tons.

Iraq had previously accounted for 60 percent of Iran's cement exports.

Last year Baghdad increased tariffs on Iranian cement from $4 to $13.

Iran currently exports cement to some 24 countries including Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Oman, India, and China.

Last year, Sheikhan warned that Iran is gradually losing its domestic and foreign cement markets.

"Cement supply and demand is not balanced in the market and this has created problems for producers," he said.

(Source: Trend)