Seafood exports in the current Iranian year (to end March 20, 2017) are estimated to exceed $380 million to register an 8.5% increase compared with last year, according to the head of Iran Fisheries Organization.
“Last year’s exports stood at $350 million and imports amounted to $150 million,” Mehr News Agency quoted Hassan Salehi as saying.
The official added that seafood production is expected to surpass 1 million tons this year.
“The government plans to produce some 20,000 tons of fish via cage farming by the yearend,” he said.
According to Salehi, Iran has the capacity to produce 1 million tons of fish in cages in the Caspian Sea in the north and the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman in the south.
Cage fish farming is a relatively new method in Iran, whereby cages are placed in lakes, ponds, rivers or seas to breed fish until they can be harvested.
Salehi noted that per capita fish consumption in Iran is 10 kilograms, which is way below the global average of 20 kilograms.
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