Azernews.Az

Iran's cement output in the first five months of the calendar current year started March 21, stood at 31.475 million tons, official from Iran's Cement Producers Association Abdolreza Sheykhan said .

"The figure shows a three per cent increase compared to the same period of the previous year," the IRNA News Agency quoted Sheykhan as saying.

"Some 30.874 million tons of clinker was also produced in the same period, which is three per cent more than the previous year," he said.

Sheykhan went on to note that Iran's cement production in the fifth calendar month (July 22 - August 21) stood at 5.82 million tons.

"Around 24.351 million tons of the country's total cement output in the mentioned five month period was distributed in domestic markets," he concluded.

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

Seven countries out of the 24 accounted for 97 per cent of Iran's total cement exports.

Iraq with 63 per cent, Azerbaijan with four per cent and Turkmenistan with seven per cent were the main importers of Iranian cement.

Iran's cement and clinker exports stood at over 13.648 million tons in the previous calendar year which ended March 20.

The country exported over 11.85 million tons of cement and 1.79 million tons of clinker in the same period.