The Chief Deputy Minister for Mining and Mineral Industries’ Affairs pointed out the formation of the Iron and Steel Council as an act of supporting the associations and supplying and production chain, in a meeting with Azerbaijan Sharghi Steel Association members.
According to the Mining Investment Insurance
Corporation’s public relations, Asad-O-Allah Keshavarz said, pointing out that
the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade has no intention to pricing in steel
and iron section, “we are trying to help all steel chains so that all the
associations would profit as a result of our activities, through mid-term and
long-term programming and the estimated executive projects.”
Emphasizing on the country’s potential in steel
production and export, especially the Province of Azerbaijan Sharghi, Mr.
Keshavarz continued: “the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, will be
supervising all the activities when needed, besides supporting the steel and
iron council in which all the associations are present. We are standing along
with the industrialists, producers and economy activists of the industry and
mine section, and we are looking for a good cooperation and leadership in order
to develop the production and make it permanent.”
Mr. Keshavarz emphasized on the necessity of more
cooperation among different associations of iron and steel section and said:
“the associations have to analyze the problems and challenges of their
industries, and present suggestions and solutions in order to promote the power
to earn foreign currency and create employment. The authorities in the Ministry
of Industry, Mine and Trade have a ppositive outlook towards steel industry and
in the year of ‘production: supporting and removing the obstacles’ we are doing
our best to bring this motto into action.”
The members of the steel association of the
Province Azerbaijan Sharghi continued with their suggestions and opinions
during the rest of the meeting.
The problems and challenges of the rolling and
exporting units were analyzed during this meeting and providing for the raw
material, pricing in the exchange market and the exporting base rate were among
the three basic problems of steel units of the Province.
According to the Province’s Steel Association, Azerbaijan
Sharghi is the only Province that is active in the steel section with the help
of the private section, and considering the number of hot and cold units, it
possesses 24% of the country’s steel units at the moment. 15% of the production
and 7% of the country’s steel exportation is also provided for by this
Province.