Armenian authorities expanded the list of goods eligible for import from Iran. On March 21, the government finalized the decision to allow imports of Iranian building materials — clinker, lime, chalk, gypsum, and white cement. The ban was previously enforced on February 24th and included all goods except medical supplies.
At the end of February, Armenia closed the border for passengers and, a bit later, for freight traffic. Now, at the end of March, according to the official website of the government, freight restrictions do not apply to certain groups of goods. Eliminating some restrictions on the list is explained by the need of Armenian enterprises to keep operating and generate revenue.
Clinker was added to the extended list due to its cheapness. Importing Iranian clinkers is noticeably cheaper than producing it locally. Cheap gas for Iranian enterprises significantly cuts its production costs and allows for lower pricing.
Last year, Armenian cement producers, “Hrazdan Cement” and “Araratcement” lobbied to introduce duty on all imported cements. The duty was extended and later Iranin imported clinker was banned.
