Products valued at $107.317 million were exported from Qeshm Free Zone in the southern Qeshm Island during the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-August 22), the head of the zone’s Customs Department announced.
Mokhtar Garshasbi said that of the mentioned export, $97.428 million was the worth of commodities produced inside the country.
Establishment of free trade zones (FTZs) in Iran dates back to Iranian calendar year 1368 (March 1989 – March 1990) following the fall in the country’s oil income in the preceding year which prompted the government to promote the non-oil exports.
The first two free trade zones of Iran were established in the south of country. The first one was Kish Free Trade Zone established in 1368 on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf and the second one was Qeshm Free Trade Zone established the year after on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Some five other free trade zones have been also established in the country since then, including Chabahar in southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province, Arvand in southwestern Khuzestan Province, Anzali in northern Gilan Province, Aras in East-Azarbaijan Province and Maku in West-Azarbaijan Province, both in the northwest of the country.
Development of existing free trade zones and establishment of new FTZs has become one of the major economic approaches of Iranian government.
