Tehran, PIN, 25/05/2010

TEHRAN (Shana): Iran exported $1 billion of petrochemicals to European countries last Iranian calendar year, 1388 (21 March 2009 – 20 March 2010).

In an exclusive interview with Shana, managing director of the National Petrochemical Company's (NPC) commercial department, Mr. Reza Hamzelo said here on Thursday that during the last Iranian calendar year 1388, NPC exported nearly 13 million tons of petrochemicals to different countries of the world worth seven billion dollars.

Noting that the main part of the petrochemicals exported to south East Asian, Mr. Hamzelo said that Europe and the Middle East followed South East Asia as the main destinations for petrochemicals exports.

He pointed out that in the first months of the year 2009, the price of petrochemicals dropped by 30 percent but the markets recovered later which led to 25 percent increase sale in comparison to the budget figure.

Mr. Hamzelo said it was assumed the company to have a better performance this year due to increasing prices predicting the company's sales would be increased by 15 to 20 percent in both weight and value.