Iran exported 1.59 million tons of agricultural and food products worth $912.43 million in the first month of the current Iranian year (March 21-May 21), new data released by the Agriculture Ministry show.
The figures indicate a decline of 9.43% in tonnage, but a rise of 11.6% in value compared with last year's corresponding period.
Watermelon topped the list of exports in terms of value with $99.45 million, followed by tomato worth $94.36 million, milk powder worth $57.47 million, eggs worth $43.93 million and saffron worth $42.38 million.
In terms of tonnage, watermelon topped the list with 455,180 tons, followed by 204,980 tons of tomato, 73,750 tons of Persian melon, 44,780 tons of apple and 35,100 tons of potato.
Agronomic products accounted for 1.22 million tons worth $420.9 million of total exports, down 9% in terms of weight, but up 3.15% in terms of value.
Horticultural exports amounted to 180,810 tons worth $230.08 million, down 31.83% in terms of tonnage, but up 7.62% in value respectively.
Exports of livestock and poultry products reached 156,990 tons worth $204.9 million, up 29.34% in tonnage and up 34.51% in value.
The veterinary sector exported 88 tons of products worth $1.15 million, up 28.94% and 98.59% in weight and value respectively.
The fisheries sector exported 23,430 tons worth $51.22 million, posting a growth of 21.69% in weight, but a rise of 29.85% in total value respectively.
Exports from the forest and rangeland sector hit 2,340 tons worth $4.18 million, up 2.11% in terms of tonnage and up 23.4% in terms of value, respectively.
Agrifood imports stood at 2.89 million tons worth $2.04 billion during the same period, indicating a 21.36% and 23.82% fall in weight and value, respectively.
Corn worth $536.02 million had the biggest share of imports in terms of value, followed by different kinds of GM soybeans worth $227.39 million, rice worth $206.13 million, wheat worth $183.59 million and barley worth $80.71 million.
In terms of tonnage, corn topped imports with 1.31 million tons, followed by wheat with 428,050 tons, GM soybeans with 290,920 tons, barley with 207,520 tons and rice with 178,050 tons.
Agronomic products accounted for 2.71 million tons worth $1.67 million of total imports, down 21.2% in weight and down 26.22% in value year-on-year.
Horticultural products stood at 144,540 tons worth $206.69 million, down 27.01% and 24.99% in weight and value YOY, respectively.
Imports of livestock and poultry products hit 20,890 tons worth $85.27 million, down 29.79% and 6.73% in tonnage and value, respectively.
The veterinary sector imported 3,939 tons worth $65.55 million, up 406.8% in tonnage and up 57.45% in terms of value.
Imports by the fisheries sector amounted to 920 tons worth $4.22 million, up 184.19%% and 121.52 in tonnage and value respectively.
The forest and rangeland sector's imports totaled 8,180 tons worth $11.57 million, up 60.83% in tonnage and up 39.4% in value.
The export and import volumes indicate that Iran recorded an agrifood trade deficit of 1.3 million tons in tonnage and $1.13 billion in value during the period under review.
Fiscal 2022-23 in Review
Iran registered more than 17 million tons worth $13 billion in agricultural and food trade deficit in the last Iranian year that ended on March 20, 2023.
Exports stood at 7.77 million tons worth $5.21 billion, indicating a fall of 8.93% in tonnage and 2.29% in value compared with the year before.
Pistachio topped the list of exports in terms of value with $405.04 million, followed by dates worth $315.48 million, tomato worth $314.72 million, milk powder worth $310.68 million and saffron worth $244.22 million.
In terms of tonnage, watermelon topped the list with 886,740 tons, followed by 678,600 tons of tomato, 625,820 tons of apple, 395,330 tons of onion, shallot and garlic, and 363,760 tons of dates.
Agrifood imports stood at 25.21 million tons worth $18.39 billion in the last Iranian year (March 2022-23), indicating a 17.47% fall in weight but a 7.45% increase in value.
Corn worth $3.26 billion had the biggest share of imports in terms of value, followed by different kinds of vegetable oil worth $2.53 billion, rice worth $21.33 billion, wheat worth $2.01 billion and GM soybeans worth $1.97 billion.
In terms of tonnage, corn topped imports with 8.08 million tons, followed by wheat with 4.45 million tons, followed by GM soybeans with 2.54 million tons, barley with 2.37 million tons and rice with 1.77 million tons.
