Iran and France signed an MoU on expansion of agricultural cooperation.
Based on the MoU signed by Iran’s Minister of Agricultural Jihad Mahmoud Hojjati and his French counterpart Stéphane Le Foll in Tehran on Monday, exchange of technical knowhow on new plant varieties and plant protection products, cooperation in breeding of cattle, and issuance of health certificates, organizing research tours in agriculture sectors and boosting joint investments were agreed upon by both sides.
The two ministers also inaugurated a joint fish farm on the southern Island of Qeshm via a video conference later in the day, Mehr News Agency reported on Monday.
Iranian and French companies have invested some €2 million in the joint venture. The farm has the capacity to produce 10 million fry per year. Some 3 million saltwater fish will be produced in the farm per year in the first phase.
Deputy head of Iran's Fisheries Organization, Hossein Abdollahi said on the sidelines of the ceremony that the joint project will serve to supply a part of Iran's need for fish, while it will also serve to boost fish exports to regional countries.
Later in a press conference, Le Foll said France is ready to expand agricultural cooperation with Iran in research, education, genetic modification, seed production and development of modern irrigation systems.
France is one of the well-developed European countries in terms of irrigation equipment and efficient water consumption methods.
Iran exported some $310 million worth of seafood in the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2015). The country's fishing and aquatic farming totaled 900,000 tons in the same period.
