Chelyabinsk steelmakers ship first product to Iraq since 2022 in H1 - customs

CHELYABINSK. July 18 (Interfax) - Steelmakers in Chelyabinsk Region shipped product to Iraq in the first half of 2025 for the first time in almost three years, the regional customs service told Interfax.

"Iraq became one of the countries participating in foreign trade with Chelyabinsk Region metallurgical enterprises in the first half of the year. Ferrous metals and products made from them were last exported to Iraq in 2022," the service said.

The foreign trade turnover of the region's metallurgy industry broke down into 70% exports and 30% imports in the first half. Metal products were exported to 25 countries. The largest markets were Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, exports to which consisted mostly of ferrous metal products.

Overall customs payments for imports and exports of metal products totalled more than 6 billion rubles in the first half.

More than 50 large and medium businesses in the industry conducted foreign economic activity in the first half, the customs service said. Most freight was processed at the ChEMK (Chelyabinsk Electrometallurgical Works) customs post and the Magnitogorsk railway customs post.