Russian exports to Asian countries face problems

The export of Russian goods to Asian countries has encountered a number of transport problems, the media reported, citing Arkady Ivanov, the development director of TransAsia Logistics Group.

According to the expert, the sales market of the Central Asian states, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean is huge – the export potential of grain and flour to the geographic area will be regarding 30 million tons by 2030. The population of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Pakistan is almost 400 million people. However, a number of difficulties hinder the development of transportation of Russian goods through Iran to Asian countries.

Thus, settlements with Iran for export-import and logistics services are conducted according to the Arab hawala system (an informal system based on the offsetting of claims without the formation of financial statements). At the same time, in the Asian country they work mainly in cash, Ivanov noted.

Another obstacle to the development of supplies via Iran is the lack of infrastructure and the shallowing of Caspian ports. Now the only deep-water ports left are in Makhachkala and Baku – Iran acquired the Astrakhan port of Solyanka in 2015, and thanks to the use of its ships, it can dictate its terms to counterparties.