Polish Economy Minister Janusz Piechocinski says his country is prepared to triple its trade with Iran next year.
“Polish companies are ready to expand all-out ties with their Iranian partners,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting with Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture Chairman Mohsen Jalalpour in Tehran on Saturday.
The Iran-Poland joint chamber of commerce will be established by the end of 2015, the Polish official added.
Meanwhile, Tehran-Warsaw direct flights will be launched by mid-2016, he noted.
Jalalpour, for his part, expressed hope that exchanging trade delegations could expedite the expansion of bilateral economic relations.
The two countries have high potentials to cooperate in vehicle, oil, gas, agriculture, and medicine industries, he added.
The Polish minister is accompanied by a host of business delegates representing the automotive industry, energy industry, construction and mining. The 60-strong group is scheduled to attend trade panels on bilateral collaboration.
Meanwhile, the key area of interest to Poland is the food sector. “The business trip is also to pave the way for a permanent platform for future economic contacts and consultations between Warsaw and Tehran.”
Piechocinski is to sign an agreement on the foundation of an intergovernmental Polish-Iranian committee.
---Launching JVs in oil and gas industries
In a separate meeting with Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, the Polish official said that Poland is highly capable in the exploration of oil and gas reserves, and Iran holds huge oil and gas reserves. So, the two countries can launch joint ventures in these industries.
Zanganeh, for his part, said that Iran is ready to sell crude oil to Poland.
“Meanwhile, Poland has set up ports for importing LNG (liquefied natural gas). So, it was decided that Iran to export LNG to Poland.”
Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Katarzyna Kacperczyk said in May that there are different organizations in Poland which are willing to expand cooperation with Iranian counterparts in different fields of economy, such as transport, energy, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Poland can be reliable trade partner for Iran, as the country is the largest economy in Eastern Europe and the sixth largest in the European Union, she said.
Iranian Ambassador to Poland Ramin Mehmanparast has said that the volume of trade between Iran and Poland is currently around €100 million annually, but the two countries plan to boost the figure to €1 billion in the short term.
Poland was the 50th biggest importer of Iranian non-oil goods in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-August 22), according to the Iran Customs Administration.
Iran exported $7.67 million of non-oil goods to Poland and imported $11.558 million of non-oil goods from the country.
The volume of trade between Iran and Poland totaled $41 million in the past Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20.
Iran exported $20 million of non-oil goods to Poland and imported $21 million of non-oil goods from the country in the previous year.
Raisin, pistachio, date, black tea, dried fruits, sweet, saffron, vegetables, cheese and bakery machinery were the major products Iran exported to Poland.
Dietary supplements, injector pump, tractor, sugar-free chewing gum, Cotton-spinning machinery, combine harvester, Mechanotherapy equipment, brake pad, glass containers, mineral fertilizers, paper and trout were the main items Iran imported from the European country in the past calendar year.
CAP: Polish Economy Minister Janusz Piechocinski (L) and Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture Chairman Mohsen Jalalpour
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh (L) presents a souvenir to Polish Economy Minister Janusz Piechocinski