Iran exported 7 million tons of agricultural and food products worth $4.5 billion during the first 11 months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2022-Feb. 19), the latest data released by the Agriculture Ministry show.
The figures indicate a decline of 9.5% in tonnage and 4.44% in value compared with last year's corresponding period.
Pistachio topped the list of exports in terms of value with $367.35 million. Milk powder was the second major export commodity in terms of value with $286.16 million, followed by tomato worth $283.64 million, dates worth $261.78 million and watermelon worth $183.65 million.
In terms of tonnage, watermelon topped the list with 840,350 tons, which was followed by 610,170 tons of tomato, 549,220 tons of apple, 393,650 tons of onion, shallot and garlic, and 309,260 tons of dates.
Agronomic products accounted for 4.29 million tons worth $1.51 billion of total exports, down 10.44% and 10.69% in terms of tonnage and value respectively.
Horticultural exports amounted to 1.9 million tons worth $1.84 billion, down 14.7% in terms of tonnage and down 19.57% in value respectively.
Exports of livestock and poultry products reached 649,560 tons worth $902.57 million, up 13.72% in tonnage and up 55.79% in value.
The veterinary sector exported 753 tons of products worth $7.08 million, down 21.46% and 20.25% in weight and value respectively.
The fisheries sector exported 126,030 tons worth $295.93 million, posting a rise of 16.03% and 49.98% in total volume and value respectively.
Exports from the forest and rangeland sector hit 18,750 tons worth $25.52 million, down 1.71% in terms of tonnage and down 6.62% in terms of value, respectively.
“Iran’s 15 neighboring countries accounted for 93% and 81.5% of the weight and value of agricultural, fisheries, livestock and food exports during the first 10 months of the current Iranian year [March 21, 2022-Jan. 20],” Rouhollah Latifi, a customs expert, was quoted as saying earlier by IRNA.
“A total of 6.25 million tons of agrifood products worth $3.99 billion were exported from Iran during the period, of which 5.8 million tons worth $3.25 billion were exported to the 15 neighboring countries.”
Iraq with $1.25 billion was the main export destination of Iranian agrifood products during the period. The UAE with $486.6 million, Pakistan with $350 million, Russia with $317.4 million and Afghanistan with $252.11 million were other main export destinations of Iran’s exported agricultural and food products.
These were followed by Turkey with $154 million, Azerbaijan with $82 million, Qatar with $69 million, Kazakhstan with $62.2 million, Turkmenistan with $60.3 million, Armenia with $58 million, Kuwait with $52.5 million, Oman with $52.4 million, Bahrain with $4 million and Saudi Arabia with $126,000.
“Other major export destinations of these products during the period were China with $151.7 million, India with $142.5 million, Kyrgyzstan with $32 million, Syria with $29.6 million, Uzbekistan with $27.6 million and Tajikistan with $20.9 million,” Latifi said.
“Asia with $3.11 billion worth of imports had a share of 77.8%, Europe with $833.79 million had a 20.9% share, Africa with $29.7 million had a 0.7% share, Americas with $10.3 million had a share of 0.3% and Oceania with $4.7 million had a 0.1% share.”
Iran exported 8.5 million tons of agricultural and food products worth $5.23 billion in the last Iranian year (March 2021-22) and 8.83 million tons worth $6.21 billion in the year before.
Imports at 22.79m Tons Worth $16.59b
Agrifood imports stood at 22.79 million tons worth $16.59 billion during the 11-month period under the Agriculture Ministry’s review, indicating a 16.64% fall in weight but an 8.3% rise in value.
Corn worth $3 billion had the biggest share of imports in terms of value, followed by different kinds of oil worth $2.3 billion, rice worth $1.97 billion, GM soybeans worth $1.69 billion and wheat worth $1.64 billion.
In terms of tonnage, corn topped imports with 7.44 million tons, followed by wheat with 3.68 million tons, followed by GM soybeans with 2.18 million tons, barley with 2.17 million tons and rice with 1.64 million tons.
Agronomic products accounted for 21.29 million tons worth $13.61 billion of total imports, down 17.43% in weight, but up 7.55% in value YOY.
Horticultural products stood at 1.29 million tons worth $2.02 billion, down 2.43% in tonnage, but a rise of 22% in value YOY.
Imports of livestock and poultry products hit 159,290 tons worth $517.5 million, down 12.73% and 8.34% in tonnage and value, respectively.
The veterinary sector imported 9,975 tons worth $349.6 million, up 91.54% in tonnage, but down 3.85% in terms of value.
Imports by the fisheries sector amounted to 10,510 tons worth $33.19 million, up 0.83% and 15.45% in tonnage and value respectively.
The forest and rangeland sector's imports totaled 25,020 tons worth $58.95 million, down 18.79% in tonnage, but up 15.69% in value.
The export and import volumes indicate that Iran recorded an agrifood trade deficit of 15.79 million tons in tonnage and $12 billion in value during the period under review.
