Eurasian Customs Advantages Can Break the Stalemate in Iran’s Printing Exports

Babak Abedin, in an interview with a reporter from the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), noted the operation of 6,000 printing units in Tehran, stating: Given this number of active units in the city, Tehran is considered the capital of Iran’s printing industry.

He continued by discussing some issues facing printing houses: High costs of paper and cardboard, imbalance between supply and demand, worn-out machinery, and tax pressures are the main challenges for printing houses. Additionally, a shortage of raw materials, a decrease in book print runs, energy problems, and unfair competition from illegal units exacerbate these challenges.

Abedin stated that these issues directly impact the publishing economy and cultural development, and he pointed to the role of digital printing in the publishing industry, adding: Digital POD printing enables the production of books with low print runs and limited orders, helping publishers bring their products to market without the need for warehousing.

He raised the point that despite high costs of equipment and consumables, digital printing complements offset printing and can improve the publishing economy, stating: The union has focused on structuralism, removing business environment obstacles, technical and managerial training, welfare services, and memorandums of understanding with various centers, aiming to transform the union into a specialized and systematic authority.

The head of the Tehran Printers and Bookbinders Union explained the union’s interaction with government and inter-union bodies: The union has established extensive communications with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, and other unions, and is consistently pursuing professional issues. We believe these interactions will lead to faster resolution of supply chain problems, licensing, and export challenges.

Abedin also spoke about export and regional opportunities for printing industry professionals, stating: The Eurasia agreement has provided a suitable opportunity for the export of printed and packaging items without customs duties. I believe that investing in member countries of this agreement and utilizing their comparative advantages can enable the supply of paper and production of printed products at lower costs and without environmental damage.

According to him, digital development, research and analysis, support for cultural printing, and active participation of unions and governmental bodies can forge a sustainable and successful future for the country’s printing and publishing industry. Furthermore, export development, education, and the utilization of new technologies are key to the economic and cultural dynamism of this industry.