Farmers in Mazandaran and Gilan provinces have produced 87,000 tons of fresh tea leaves in the current Iranian year (ending March 19, 2016), 33% more than last year’s yield, according to Iran Tea Organization. Some 19,600 tons of cured leaves have been produced out of this year’s harvest, IRNA reported. There are over 25,000 hectares of tea farms in the two northern provinces, from which 50,000 families earn their living. The government has guaranteed purchase system in place for many crops, including tea, whereby it pays farmers for their products prior to the harvest.
