The value of online car trade surpassed 29.2 trillion rials (some $2.4 billion) in the past calendar year, which ended on March 19, showing a significant rise compared to just 40 billion rials (some $330 million) in the year ended in March 2006.

The chairman of the board of directors of Industrial Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO) made the remarks in a conference on online trade and economy, saying that the value of sales in the automotive industry and its related industries exceeded 250 trillion rials (some $20.4 billion) in last calendar year, which made up for 3.5 percent of the gross domestic product and 20 percent of the industry sector’s total added-value.

Mr. Majid Hedayat referred to categorizing and investing in the IDRO approved plans related to high-tech industries, saying that electronics and microelectronics, information technology in the field of software, hardware, and biotechnology have accounted for 17 percent, 28 percent, 9 percent and 18 percent of investments, respectively. Moreover, 5.3 percent of investments have been made in other plans approved by the IDRO, he noted.

In terms of the volume of investments, electronics and microelectronics, information technology (software) and hardware accounted for 21 percent, 21 percent and 11 percent in order, he said.

Hedayat, who is also the deputy minister of industry, mine and trade, went on saying that in the field of Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), 35 plans have been implemented or are being implemented at the cost of 120 billion rials (some $9.8 million). In the field of high-tech industries, 220 billion rials (some $170 million) has been paid to 63 development plans and 470 billion rials (some $38.3 million) has been paid to improvement plans, he added.

Planners and decision makers in the field of electronic trade should pay due attention to the issue of B2B, because this field of trade will create huge profits and output. Significant saving can be made in different industries using the B2B method in electronic trade, he stressed.

In 2009, the value of electronic trade hit 25,400 billion dollars around the world, of which 44 percent was the share of North America, 20 percent was the share of Europe, 19 percent was the share of Asia and Oceania, 10 percent was the share of Latin America and 7 percent was the share of other regions, Hedayat said.

The deputy minister of industry, mine and trade also said that the share of information technology in the GDP is 1.5 percent, which should be increased to 2 percent by the end of the fifth five-year development plan.

He emphasized on paying special attention by the banking sector to financing industrial projects related to information technology, employing and supporting the private sector, developing and approving laws and regulations to support and promote electronic trade and boosting telecommunication infrastructures across the country as among approaches to expand online trade in the country.

Hedayat also pointed out to the implementation of the FTTX plan, based on which optical fiber networks will be expanded to reach houses. According to the plan, 5-10 thousand users will receive services.