Turkish cement producer Askale Cimento Fabrikasi in Erzurum, eastern Turkey, has signed an agreement to export cement for US$7.5m to Iran.

Under the agreement, the company has already shipped 5000t of cement to Iran and the figure will reach 150,000t in 2004. It is the first export deal of Askale Cimento. The company had increased capacity and carried out renovation works before starting exports. Total exports from Erzurum stood at US$8m in 2003, according to Askale Cimento director general Nihat Kilic.