Around 124,550 tons of cotton bolls have been produced across the country and bought by cotton factories since the beginning of the current Iranian year on March 21, 2017.
The figure is estimated to reach 160,000 tons by the end of the fiscal year, the managing director of Iran Cotton Fund said.
“Cotton factories have so far produced 30,000 tons of refined cotton. We expect to produce between 45,000 and 50,000 tons of the product by the end of the year,” Mohammad Hossein Kaviani was also quoted as saying by Young Journalists Club.
The official noted that last year’s domestic cotton production stood at approximately 40,000 tons.
He added that close to 56,000 tons of cotton were imported during the 10 months to Jan. 20.
“Our textile industries’ annual demand stands at between 90,000 and 100,000 tons and domestic production is not sufficient to meet the need. We have to import at least 50,000 tons annually,” he said.
Land under cotton cultivation in Iran has declined by over 75% between the fiscal years 2001-16 to reach 70,000 hectares from 300,000 hectares, turning Iran from a cotton exporter to an importer.
The figure remained unchanged in the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2017), but it has increased by 6% this year, according to the executive of the Cotton Project implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture.
“The Ministry of Agriculture plans to achieve self-sufficiency in cotton production by 2025 [the end of the 20-year Vision Plan],” Ebrahim Hezarjaribi was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
Iran has the capacity to increase cotton production, but the low price of cotton compared with other agricultural products discourages farmers from embarking upon cotton cultivation.
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