Tehran, IRNA – More than 4.2 million metric tons (mt) of non-oil commodities worth $2.3 billion were traded between Iran and Pakistan in the last Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2022, to March 20, 2023), an increase of 30% in volume terms and 48% in value terms in comparison to the previous year.

Rouhollah Latifi, spokesman for Industry, Mine and Trade House of the Trade Promotion Commission of Iran, said on Saturday that more than 3.5 million mt of goods worth over $1.4 billion were exported from Iran to Pakistan over the year to March while some 746,700 mt of goods worth over $841.8 million were imported from Pakistan to Iran over the period.

Iran’s last year exports to Pakistan rose by 20% in volume terms and by 18% in value in comparison to the figures in the year before, Latifi said, adding that the Islamic Republic’s imports from Pakistan also increased by 119% and 170% in volume and value terms, respectively.

He also referred to the trade volume between the two countries in the three months to late June, noting that Iran’s exports to Pakistan reached 968,000 mt worth $438 million over the period, up by 57% in value terms year on year.

The official added that Iran’s imports from Pakistan reached 140,443 mt worth $176 million over the June quarter, down 10% year on year, adding that shipments had dropped mainly because of restrictions on rice imports to Iran over the period.