$240m Lost to Mazandaran Frost

The extreme cold that set in a fortnight ago across the country caused 9.4 trillion rials (over $240 million at market exchange rate) in damages to orchards in Mazandaran, according to governor of the northern province, Rabi' Fallah.

Prior to the early and sudden drop in temperature over the past few days, 2.7 million tons of citrus fruit were expected to be produced in Mazandaran, ILNA reported. 

According to Delavar Heydari, the head of Mazandaran Agricultural Jihad Organization, between 250,000 and 300,000 tons of oranges and about 90,000 tons of kiwis have been lost in the frost.  More than 110,000 hectares of land go under the cultivation of citrus fruit in Mazandaran every year, providing for nearly 50% of the domestic demand.