Iran exported 2.07 million tons of agricultural and food products worth $1.3 billion during the first quarter of the current Iranian year (March 21-June 21), new data released by the Agriculture Ministry show.
The figures indicate a fall of 7.05% in tonnage, but a rise of 15.18% in value compared with last year's corresponding period.
Tomato topped the list of exports in terms of value with $114.24 million, followed by watermelon worth $111.21 million, milk powder worth $87.03 million, pistachio worth $67.01 million and eggs worth $64.08 million.
In terms of tonnage, watermelon topped the list with 507,170 tons, followed by 245,510 tons of tomato, 80,890 tons of Persian melon, 49,660 tons of apple and 47,360 tons of potato.
Agronomic products accounted for 1.55 million tons worth $561.82 million of total exports, down 7.59% in terms of weight, but up 5.64% in terms of value.
Horticultural exports amounted to 238,560 tons worth $333.63 million, down 30.62% in terms of tonnage, but up 6.44% in value respectively.
Exports of livestock and poultry products reached 237,750 tons worth $317.25 million, up 39.83% in tonnage and up 44.83% in value.
The veterinary sector exported 151 tons of products worth $1.99 million, up 26.79% and 151.87% in weight and value respectively.
The fisheries sector exported 37,410 tons worth $80.49 million, posting a growth of 26.44% in weight and a rise of 35.42% in total value respectively.
Exports from the forest and rangeland sector hit 4,040 tons worth $6.44 million, up 6.96% in terms of tonnage and up 15.73% in terms of value, respectively.
Q1 Imports Hit $3.9b
Agrifood imports stood at 5.56 million tons worth $3.99 billion during the same period, indicating an 8.35% and a 7.08% decline in weight and value, respectively.
Corn worth $1 billion had the biggest share of imports in terms of value, followed by different kinds of edible vegetable oil worth 535.6 million, GM soybeans worth $446.59 million, rice worth $395.83 million and wheat worth $349 million.
In terms of tonnage, corn topped imports with 2.44 million tons, followed by wheat with 790,920 tons, GM soybeans with 593,250 tons, barley with 395,640 tons and rice with 335,820 tons.
Agronomic products accounted for 5.22 million tons worth $3.31 billion of total imports, down 8.31% in weight and down 9.19% in value year-on-year.
Horticultural products stood at 280,060 tons worth $409.82 million, down 12.73% and 8.24% in weight and value YOY, respectively.
Imports of livestock and poultry products hit 34,780 tons worth $144.82 million, down 16.49% and 12.9% in tonnage and value, respectively.
The veterinary sector imported 6,798 tons worth $105.57 million, up 486.15% in tonnage and up 62.17% in terms of value.
Imports by the fisheries sector amounted to 1,530 tons worth $6.07 million, up 181.01%% and 117.29 in tonnage and value respectively.
The forest and rangeland sector's imports totaled 14,230 tons worth $18.97 million, up 109.04% in tonnage and up 56.72% in value.
Among other imported agrifood products during the period, according to the spokesman of the Iranian House of Industry, Mine and Trade’s Trade Development Commission, Rouhollah Latifi, were bananas worth $78 million, refined sugar worth $67.2 million, tea worth $60.2 million, pulses worth $50 million, soymeal worth $50 million, cocoa worth $43 million, coffee worth $31.3 million, sesame worth $15 million, spices worth $13 million, mango worth $12 million, peanut worth $6 million, pumpkin seeds worth $5 million, coconut worth $5 million, food additives worth $4.7 million, instant coffee worth $3.5 million and pineapple worth $2.5 million were the other imported products during the three months ending June 21.
The export and import volumes indicate that Iran recorded an agrifood trade deficit of 3.49 million tons in tonnage and $2.69 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.
