Despite 8,000 hectares of special land and advantages such as export exemptions, proximity to copper mines, and access to the waters of the Persian Gulf, Kerman province's special economic zones have yet to fully realize their potential for increasing production and attracting investment.
Field and economic data indicate that legal obstacles, restrictions on raw material supply, and infrastructure challenges have hampered the optimal exploitation of these zones and made their role as a development engine dependent on policy reforms and improved management.
Kerman Governor Mohammad Ali Talebi said at a meeting of the Kerman Provincial Investment Headquarters this afternoon, August 11, regarding the activities of the province's three special economic zones, in Sirjan, Rafsanjan, and Bam: "The Jazmorian Special Economic Zone in southern Kerman has also passed the final approval stages and will soon be operational."
Referring to the issues raised by economic stakeholders at this meeting, he called for continuous communication between executive agencies and investors to quickly remove obstacles.
Regarding Sirjan, Talebi said: "The best opportunity to establish a dry port in Sirjan is now before us. If we miss it, we don't know when we will be able to revitalize this region. This port can play a supporting role for the ports in the south of the country."
Regarding Rafsanjan, he also indicated that completing the copper production chain and creating an industrial city for downstream copper industries were the main objectives, emphasizing: "The Rafsanjan Special Zone must move in this direction, and we will provide special support."
The Governor of Kerman stated: "The list of investment opportunities in the special zones must be comprehensively compiled and made available to applicants." During discussions on the transfer of land to investors, incentives were provided to remove initial obstacles. We must make the most of these opportunities."
According to him, the Rafsanjan and Sirjan special zones offer significant advantages thanks to their access to the Persian Gulf water transmission network and their proximity to copper mines.
He also added: "We do not approve of the allocation of land for the construction of solar power plants in the special economic zones."
Talebi also announced the creation of a new special economic zone in the center of Kerman province and stressed the need to prepare a comprehensive list of investment opportunities to present to applicants.
Untapped Capacity of Kerman's Special Economic Zones: Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
According to ISNA, despite an area of approximately 8,000 hectares and a diverse geographical location, Kerman province's special economic zones are still far from fully exploiting their potential. Due to their different laws and regulations compared to those on the mainland, particularly regarding customs exemptions and export and import facilities, these zones can play an important role in the province's export development.
However, statistics show that some industrial units located in these zones have only utilized a small portion of their nominal capacity, and infrastructure projects and private sector investments have not been fully realized.
In the manufacturing sector, the reduced supply of raw materials and problems caused by power outages have led to a decline in unit performance. Studies indicate that the value of manufactured products decreased by 25% last year compared to the previous year, and that actual operating capacity reached only 57% of nominal capacity.
Legal restrictions introduced after 2018, including the promulgation of Article 8 of the law and related regulations, complicated the import of raw materials into these areas, which, combined with other administrative obstacles, prevented the full utilization of production line capacity.
According to ISNA, despite these difficulties, industrial and logistics infrastructure in certain specific areas of the province, including the construction of large-scale heavy machinery production units and planning for the completion of the mining production line, shows positive prospects. Connecting these regions to the transmission networks Water and energy resources, proximity to mineral resources, and access to export routes are essential conditions for attracting domestic and foreign investment.
Achieving this vision will require removing legal barriers, improving raw material supply, and effectively managing existing capacity.
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