Post-release of the Russian-Iranian Grain Conference and business trip Tehran-Qazvin-Rasht-Anzali, 10-14 July 2016

10-14 July 2016 in Iran, with the participation of the Russian delegation has been held a major international event, which was attended by a total of more than 300 companies from Russia, Iran, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkey and other countries. The market in question concerned not only grain and agriculture, but also  affected  the industrial, logistics and financial sector of the economy.

10th of July members of the delegation were able to meet and talk at a dinner organized in the mountains of Tehran.

Then, a series of events has been opened by  the Russian-Iranian trade Grain Conference, held in Tehran on 11 July 2016 at hotel Huveyze.  The conference was attended by 50 Russian and more than  60 foreign delegates.  The conference was opened by RUSMET’s CEO,  acting as the  organizer of events, Kovshevny Victor and Rajab Safarov Sattarovich, Chairman of the Russian-Iranian Council of Public Relations.

 The Honorable delegates and key speakers of the conference were:

• Representatives of  State Trading Company STC, Executive Director Dr Ghanbari and Commercial Director Mr.Rahimzade

• Baboshkin Ivan Anatolievich, Head of Administration of the Saratov Municipal District

• Shaydaev Marat Magomedovich, General Director of JSC "United Grain Company"

• Honorable guest , the expert  and member of University faculty  Dr Zeinolabedin Tahmasebi.

Among the distinguished speakers, who also made their presentations and reports:

•  Export development bank of Iran Mr.Javad Abbasi, director of the department of international relations.

• National Iranian Standards Organization  Mrs. Shoukohi

• G.T.I. CORPORATION, Ivanchin Sergey, Vice-President

• Sodrudzhestvo LLC  Kazakhstan, Paraskun Nicholas, CEO

• Touse Tejarat Aryan, Mr. Manouchehr Mirzaei

• Center "SovEkon" Andrey Sizov, General Director

• Mr. Reza Mazidi, representative and coordinator of the Trade Mission of the Russian delegation in Iran.

• Mr.Mahmood Bagheri, a lawyer and expert on International Trade Law

• Representatives of JSC "Solnechnogorsk experimental mechanical plant", General Director Denis G. Kondratyev and Financial Director Zenkin Alexander

• A representative from Iran Food Industry Association.

 The conference program includes B2B-session, in which all participants had the opportunity to introduce  their companies and propose the  possibilities of cooperation with foreign partners.

Iran - one of the world's largest importers of cereals in the world  purchasing annually more than 12 million tons of grain. Russia has exported to Iran  about 1.5 million tonnes of wheat in the last Iranian year (21 March 2015 to 20 March 2016). Considering the volume of exports, Iran took the third place among the countries importing Russian wheat. In total, Russia exported wheat to 93 countries.

 At the same time, Russia has exported of about 35 mln. Tons of grain, including more than 24.5 million tons of wheat from the beginning of June 2015 to the end of June 2016 and for the first time became the largest wheat exporter in the world. At the same time the source of RBK recalls that at the beginning of last week, five analysts, Bloomberg surveyed, expressed the view that the export of Russian wheat may increase overall by 10%.

 At the end of the conference, representatives of business and government agencies have noted a lot of potential and confirmed their intention to increase communication and cooperation. In this regard, it was decided to establish a Russian-Iranian trade commission, which will promote the development of international export-import relations and increase  trade turnover between the two countries.

In  July 12, 2016 has been organized business trip to the province of Qazvin. In the plenary session   delegations was  welcomed by the Mayor and the Director of Municipalities Cooperation Organization of Qazvine Province Mr.Reza Tahery, as well as the Chief Investment Officer Mr. Qazvin province Maleki, and more than 50 representatives of companies in the region.

The subject  of collaboration was presented by the chairman of Iran Feed Industry Association Mr.Majid Movafegh Ghadirly, Director of the Poultry Association Mr.Hodjaat, Director of the Livestock Association Mr. Hossein Nemati.

It was noted that Qazvin is an important logistics and agricultural center of the country. The population is about 500 thousand people in the last two years active work has allowed investors to grow the business, the number of enterprises has exceeded 3500. At 270 thousand hectares of land , the Province annually receive about 1.5 million tons of agricultural products:. Wheat, barley, sugar beet, maize and beans. . In the gardens, an area of ​​73 hectares,   per year is removed more than 500 tons of: olives, grapes, pistachios, walnuts, and the products are sold both on the domestic and foreign markets.

Province ranks first in the production of hawthorn and dogwood, second in the country for the production of grapes, hazelnuts, olives, peaches - nectarines, cherries, third place - for the production of mushrooms, the fourth-largest producer of corn, feed and fifth place in the production of lentils.

At  the same time  Kazvin is a tourist and transport logistics center, as this is one of the oldest areas of civilization and the former capital of Iran. In Kazvin was registered more than 1,000 historical monuments, representing 0.12% of the total number of monuments of the country and in regard of  this indicator the  Province occupies   the first place.

Concerning  the Russian delegation, the participants were welcomed  by the head of  Saratov region Baboshkin Ivan Anatolyevich, who was pleasantly surprised by the pace of Iran's development and  confident in the effectiveness of the meeting with his Iranian colleagues and the  continuation of successful long-term cooperation. At the same time he noted that the Saratov region is ready  to become the locomotive from Russia side, at the exit to the next level of commercial and economic relations between the two countries in the field of agro industry.

The General Director of  RUSMET Kovshevny Victor also addressed speech to the delegates of countries  on the need and readiness for closer partnership, for a great future in the domain of cooperation between Russia and Iran in all spheres of economy, politics, culture.

After the welcoming words of the officials of delegations, the company presented information about themselves to potential partners in a round table format. This was followed by a reception kindly organized for the Russian delegation,  by the Mayor of the Province of Kazvin Mr. Reza Taheri. The dinner was held in the historic restaurant and one of the cultural monuments of Kazvin.

 Further trip participants visited  manufacturing  and plants of  the Province.

At the largest and most advanced in Iran plant for the production of raisins  ROSSEN company, delegates watched a film and lecture done by Executive Director Dr.M.Shahramyar.

The factory for the production of pasta brand Azar the excursion has been  personally conducted by  company director Davoud Pouresmail, showing hot and cold workshop, technology and production process from scratch to final product packaging.

Accompanied by the Mayor, delegates visited Iranian production of  rose at the Persian Caspian  enterprise Flower Co, and  the plant for the production of potato chips and semi-finished products Bato, which exports its products to eleven countries, including China, Turkey, Korea, India, UAE and others.
 

The same evening, the group has been installed at Rasht hotel. It is the largest city in northern Iran. In Rasht, the  reception of the Russian delegation was organized with the support and participation of the Consulate General of Russia and the Chamber of Commerce of the city.

13th of July,  in the morning ,delegates moved to the free economic zone of  port city of Anzali, where the official greetings were  held  by the Head of Administration,  the  Russian General Consul in Rasht Alekseev Konstantin Y. and the head of the FEZ "Bandar Anzali" Mr. Masroor Raza.

FEZ "Bandar -  Anzali" occupies a special place among the Iranian FEZ. This is due to the fact that this FEZ should be the main center for trade with Iran, the countries of the Caspian region. In the territory of FEZ "" Bender - Anzali "included the territory of the port of Anzali, through which a significant volume of imports from Russia is delivered. Several Russian and joint Russian-Iranian enterprises are residents of the FEZ. In order to develop the Russian-Iranian inter-regional cooperation will be organized on the territory of FEZ the implementation of joint Russian-Iranian programs of higher education.

On FEZ it is  allowed   the registration of enterprises with one hundred percent of  foreign capital, with the right to create an independent legal entity,  the possibility of creating branches in the main territory of Iran. Companies registered in FEZ, have equal rights with companies listed on the main territory of Iran. Companies in FEZ can be registered within two weeks. This period is much less than the regular for Company Incorporation on the mainland of  Iran.

Registration of branches and representative offices of foreign enterprises on the mainland of Iran can last up to six months.

In addition, according to the Ministry of Economic Development, the main advantages of commercial enterprises registered in FEZ  of Iran include a simplified procedure for investing, conducting banking transactions, exports and imports of goods, tax exemption for 15 years, with a possible extension of "tax holidays" for a  period up to 30 years, a simplified procedure for the recruitment of labor, including foreign, visa-free regime visiting FEZ and others. on the territory of SEZ there are no restrictions on foreign exchange transactions, can freely import and export any amount in any foreign currency. Duties and restrictions on import and export of currency from the territory of SEZ does not exist.

 After the plenary session in the building of the Administration of FEZ "Bandar Anzali" participants visited the port under construction, as well as the existing port of Anzali. In the main office of the seaport   the Chief of the  Organization of Ports and Maritime transport Mr. S.A.Naimi welcomed the Delegates.  The presentation was followed by a large number of questions from the participants of the meeting about the activities and prospects of work in the port. Mr. Naimi in the explanation stressed that grain, timber and metals are priority loads. In this regard, a number of implemented in the port of Anzali investment projects include the construction of a grain elevator with a capacity of 45 thousand. tons (elevator 15 thousand tons have already been built) and storage for edible oil with a capacity of 15 thousand tonnes. The total investment of about $ 14 million. Also planned dredging, breakwaters and other device warehouses. Furthermore,  in the port  was completed the construction of the passenger terminal.

Currently, the port of Anzali is considered a major transit point in the Caspian Sea. The port has 10 berths with an annual capacity of more than 6 million. Tons of cargo per year.

Port management is ready to provide port facilities, warehouses and land. And also negotiate special terms of cooperation for the Russian companies.

After lunch, the Russian delegation visited the Chamber of Commerce in the city of Rasht. After the official greeting at the main plenary session of the Company participated in the sectoral roundtables on following matters:

• cereals

• agriculture

• industry

• logistics

which were able to discuss the possibility of developing partnerships with businesses and government organizations.

As a result of activities and individual negotiations, agreements were reached and the ways for further works. In terms of imports from Iran, Russian companies are interested primarily in the supply of fruits, vegetables and nuts. Iranian colleagues have confirmed interest in procurement of cereals and meat.

Currently, to  confirm the intentions of the parties  agreements and memoranda on cooperation are being preparing.