More than 4.3 million tons of agricultural products worth about $4.8 million were exported in the last Iranian year (March 2015-16), indicating an 11% and 16% decline in weight and value respectively as compared to a year before.
Experts believe that the reason for this decline is the entry of European countries as well as Turkey into Iran’s traditional export markets in the region, after they lost the Russian market over the Ukraine crisis, ISNA reported
About 130,300 tons of pistachio worth nearly $1.3 billion were exported to some 70 countries over the period, indicating a 28.9% and 27.2% decrease in weight and value respectively. Hong Kong, Vietnam, Spain and Germany are the main customers of Iran’s pistachio.
The export of apples and kiwis also experienced a decline. More than $132 million worth of apples and close to $27 million worth of kiwis were exported, indicating a fall of 29.6% and 37.1% respectively.
Saffron exports too fell, despite the newly-found market in the US. Over 113.5 tons of the spice worth $165.3 million were exported to 42 countries, showing a 28.5% plunge in volume and 27.4% decrease in value.
Nonetheless, the export of some crops saw an increase, among them dates, citrus fruit and potato.
Last year Iranian dates became very popular with customers and were exported to 77 countries, including the US. More than 171,000 tons of the product worth $232.5 million headed abroad. The figures display a 2.2% and 2.8% growth in terms of weight and value respectively.
Over 21.3 tons of citrus fruit worth $10.7 million were exported, indicating a 100.9% increase in volume and a 87.7% rise in value.
Potato exports increased by 59.8% and 38.5% in terms of volume and value respectively. During the period, close to 679,000 tons of the product worth $222.4 million were exported to 17 countries.
