Domestic demand for cotton stands above 180,000 tons per year, while local production is between 70,000 tons and 80,000 tons, according to the CEO of Iran Cotton Fund.
“This means, at present, we need to import at least 100,000 tons per year,” Mohammad Hossein Kaviani was also quoted as saying by IRIB News.
The official noted that there are many reasons why Iranian farmers prefer to cultivate other crops than cotton on their land. One is that cotton yields amount to around 2.5 tons per hectare.
“This volume of harvest is very low compared with other products such as potato and other vegetables that earn a lot more profit for farmers. Right now, planting other crops such as rice is not only more profitable but much easier. This is why, over the years, our cotton plantations have turned into paddy fields or ones where other crops are planted,” he told Mizan Online.
Kaviani noted that in many other countries, cotton cultivation is subsidized to encourage farmers to plant cotton, but this is not how it goes in Iran.
“Cotton harvest machinery is very expensive and currently we don’t even have enough of them in the country, which makes harvest very costly and time consuming,” he added.
The official noted that not long ago, Iran used to export high-quality cotton to over 20 countries and this was because cotton cultivation was profitable for farmers.
Around 50 years ago, he said, land under cotton cultivation stood at 180,000 hectares in Golestan Province and 50,000 hectares in Mazandaran Province, adding that these figures have currently dropped to 18,000 hectares and 1,000 hectares respectively.
Manager of the Cotton Project implemented by the Agriculture Ministry told ILNA that presently, cotton is cultivated in 20 provinces across the country, with Khorasan Razavi, North Khorasan, South Khorasan, Golestan, Fars and Ardabil being the main hubs.
“To be able to meet the growing demand, we plan to expand the land under cultivation. So, as of last summer, Sistan-Baluchestan, and warmer areas in Ilam, Lorestan and Kermanshah have also joined the cotton producing provinces,” Ebrahim Hezarjaribi was also quoted as saying.
Kandahar Chamber of Commerce and Industry said in June that 2,000 tons of Afghan cotton were recently exported from the province to Turkey and Iran.
The chamber says that in the past, Afghan cotton was exported only to Pakistan, but now new markets have opened up, which has provided employment opportunities for some people, Ariana News reported.
Afghan cotton is of very good quality and now, for the first time, cotton grown in Helmand and Kandahar is being exported to Turkey and Iran.
Kandahar commerce chamber officials said they have exported 2,000 tons of cotton to Iran and Turkey in the past 10 days and that this could increase to 100,000 tons a year.
Cotton traders in Kandahar welcome the opening of the new markets and said this will improve the financial situation of farmers and provide jobs for many people.
Cotton exports have risen, as traders say factories are still short of electricity. Cotton traders in Kandahar and Helmand provinces have urged the Islamic Emirate to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
