Iran exported 336,836 tons of medicinal plants worth $520 million during the 11 months to Feb. 19, Hossein Zeinali, an official with the Agriculture Ministry, said.
The exports witnessed a $70-million rise compared with last year’s corresponding period, IRNA reported.
More than 250 tons of saffron worth $319 million were exported to 48 countries, including Afghanistan, Spain, the UAE, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and the US, during the period.
Medicinal plants worth $160 million were imported during the same period.
Currently, the global trade of medicinal plants stands at $107 billion. The figure is predicted to exceed $450 billion by 2025.
There are 8,000 known species of medicinal plants in the world, 1,728 of which are available Iran.
