Rampant fruit smuggling is threatening the agricultural sector, warned the general director of Tropical and Subtropical Fruits Department of Agricultural Jihad Ministry. “Iran annually produces 200 kilograms of fruit per each person while the global standard is 80 kilograms, so there is no need for foreign fruits to enter the country. Import of contraband fruit also risk spreading pests and diseases as they do not go through required health checks,” Mehr News Agency quoted Abolghasem Hassanpour as saying. The official called on Islamic Republic of Iran’s Customs Administration and governors of border provinces to take stricter measures to combat fruit smuggling.
