Duty-Free Potato Exports Authorized

The export of potatoes has been exempted from tax and customs duties by the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade. 
According to Mohammad Reza Kalami, a senior official with the ministry, the export directive will be valid until further notice. 
The measure has been taken to support local farmers during the potato harvesting season, i.e. late summer to mid-fall, he was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.   
“With more than 5.1 million tons of production, Iran ranks 13th among the world’s potato producers,” Deputy Agriculture Minister Hossein Shirzad said, citing the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ 2019 data.
“Land under potato cultivation in Iran stands at 160,000 hectares,” Shirzad, who doubles as the head of the Central Organization of Rural Cooperatives of Iran, was quoted as saying by IRNA.
The official noted that based on FAO’s report, China with 99 million tons, India with 49 million tons and Russia with 31 million tons top the list of major potato producers. 
Hamedan, Ardabil, Kurdestan, East Azarbaijan and Isfahan are the main producers of potatoes in Iran.