Iran accounts for 15.7% of the 7 million tons of date fruit annually produced worldwide, which amounts to 1.1 million–200,000 tons of which are grown in Khuzestan Province alone, according to Halim Kouti, an official with the Agricultural Jihad Organization of the southern Iranian province. “Worldwide exports stand at 1.1 million tons annually, of which Iran holds a 10.9% share, with Khuzestan accounting for almost half of the fraction,” he added, noting that the province has the capacity to double its date exports. Europe, Iraq and Syria are the main destinations for the dates produced in Khuzestan. Russia is expected to join the list of customers in the near future. Besides Khuzestan, Sistan-Baluchestan, Fars and Kerman are the main date-producing provinces of Iran, Mehr News Agency reported.
