Close to $1.15 billion worth of agricultural products were exported from the southern Khuzestan Province during the last Iranian year (March 2017-18) to register a threefold rise compared with the fiscal 2013-14.
According to Kheykhosro Changalvaee, the head of Khuzestan Agricultural Jihad Organization, the exports were mainly made to Iraq, the littoral countries of the Persian Gulf and the Russian Federation, the Persian daily Donya-e-Eqtesad reported.
The official added that so far this year, more than 16.1 million tons of agricultural products worth 250 trillion rials (close to $1.94 billion) have been cultivated in Khuzestan, showing a 6.6% rise compared with last year.
The volume shows Khuzestan has a 13.5% share in Iran’s total agro yields.
“A total of 137 agricultural products are cultivated in the province, thanks to its diverse and unique climate. Per capita agro production in the province stands at 3,400 kilograms while the national average amounts to 1,490 kilograms. Khuzestan is a major agricultural hub of Iran,” the official said.
Changalvaee noted that the 20-Year Vision Plan has set an agro production target of 27 million tons per annum by 2025 for Khuzestan.
He noted that Khuzestan ranks first on the list of provinces producing wheat with around 1.8 million tons of yields per year.
Italy and Oman are among the customers of wheat produced in this Iranian province.
The province is also a major producer of dates, vegetables, sugarbeet, maize, colza and cut flowers in the country.
“Some 750,000 people earn their living through the province’s agricultural sector,” Changalvaee said.
Latest statistics released by the National Agriculture and Water Strategic Research Center, which draws on data provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, show more than 5.06 million tons of agricultural and food products worth over $4.76 billion were exported from Iran during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Dec. 21) to register a 15.3% growth in value compared with last year's corresponding period.
The growth for the nine-month period is a record high compared with the corresponding period of previous years.
Agrifood exports accounted for 5.8% and 14.3% of the total volume and value of Iran's non-oil exports of 86.94 million tons worth $33.35 billion respectively over the period, the news portal of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture reported.
The exports mainly included fruits worth $1.05 million, vegetables worth $797 million, milk and dairy products worth $471 million, saffron worth $265 million and fish and shrimps worth $242 million, accounting for 22%, 16.7%, 9.9%, 5.6% and 5.1% of the total value of agrifood exports during the nine months respectively.
Iraq, Afghanistan, the UAE, Pakistan, Russia, India, Turkey, Vietnam Turkmenistan and Germany were the biggest export destinations in a descending order, as around 82% of Iran’s agrifood exports went to these 10 countries.
Each ton of agrifood exports was valued at $941 on average, which is 145% more than the price of each ton of non-oil exports ($384) for the period.
The data show Iran recorded an agrifood trade deficit of close to $2.83 billion for the nine-month period, which shows a 6.7% improvement year-on-year.
