Gov’t to Buy 60,000 Tons of Oranges for Nowruz

The Rural Cooperative Organization of Iran, affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture, will purchase 60,000 tons of oranges from farmers in Mazandaran to be stored for consumption during the Iranian New Year holidays in March, according to head of the northern Iranian province’s Agricultural Jihad Organization.

“The early frost which set in a few days ago prompted farmers to pick the fruit sooner. If the citrus is supplied to the market now there will be a significant fall in prices due to oversupply and local farmers will suffer. The government is purchasing the fruit at, or slightly above, market prices to support the farmers and control prices,” Delavar Heydarpour was quoted by IRNA as saying.

The Iranian New Year holiday – known as Nowruz – will begin on March 21, 2017. Domestic fruit consumption increases exponentially at this time of the  year as relatives and friends visit to one another. Fruit is a typical treat offered to guests in Iranian homes.