The ban on fruit imports is still in place, says the deputy minister of agriculture for horticultural affairs, calling on executive bodies to take action against illegal fruit imports since his ministry is not in charge of combating smuggling. Mohammad Ali Tahmasbi went on to say that: “Illegal imports not only increase the risk of plant pests and diseases, they also cripple the economy and disturb the domestic market. Fruit smuggling also endangers farmers’ job security.” The Ministry of Agriculture has banned the import of all types of fruits other than bananas, pineapples, coconuts and mangos since four years ago to help protect domestic farmers and producers.
