A total of $212.05 million worth of commodities weighing 2.09 million tons were exported from Mazandaran Province during the current Iranian year’s first nine months (March 21-Dec. 21), showing a 58% and 45% rise in value and volume respectively year-on-year.
Ali Yousefi, a local customs official, added that exports were shipped to 47 countries, IRNA reported.
“Russia with 232,000 tons worth $42.85 million, Kazakhstan with 169,000 tons worth $16.98 million, Turkmenistan with 138,000 tons worth $12.97 million, Iraq with 95,000 tons worth $8.3 million and Azerbaijan with 13,000 tons worth $7.24 million were the main export destinations,” he said.
Imports stood at $878.58 million weighing 2.19 million tons during the same period, registering a 31% and 9% increase respectively YOY.
“We imported goods from 25 countries. The UAE with 804,000 tons worth $365 million was the biggest exporter followed by Turkey with 471,000 tons worth $198 million, Russia with 361,000 tons worth $134 million, Kazakhstan with 114,000 tons worth $33 million and Germany with 105,000 tons also worth $33 million.”
Mazandaran’s total foreign trade during the period hit $1.09 billion, nearly 20% of which were exports (3% more than last year) and 80% imports (3% less YOY).
A total of 115,000 tons of foreign goods worth $117.67 million were transited through the province to neighboring countries, indicating a 318% and 264% upsurge in weight and value respectively year-on-year.
Last fiscal year (March 2020-21), Mazandaran’s foreign trade stood at $1.1 billion.
According to the official, the total commercial capacity of the ports of northern Mazandaran Province stands at 13 million tons, of which Amirabad accounts for 7.5 million tons, Nowshahr 4.5 million tons and Fereydounkenar 1 million tons.
Mazandaran Province’s foreign trade stood at 3.45 million tons worth $1.09 billion in the fiscal 2020-21, of which exports accounted for 745,000 tons worth $181 million and imports accounted for 2.7 million tons worth $917 million.
A total of 250,000 tons of citrus fruits were exported from Mazandaran Province in the last Iranian year, showing a 60% rise compared with the year before, according to the director of Horticultural Affairs Department with the province’s Agricultural Organization.
“Our main export destinations over the period were Russia and Iraq,” Hadi Izadi was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
The official noted that last year’s citrus fruit production in Mazandaran stood at 2.7 million tons, which was 10% more than the previous year.
“At present, there are 500 sorting units with a capacity of 250,000 tons of citrus fruits, 119 cold storage facilities with a 473-ton capacity and 148 warehouse units with a capacity of 381 tons of such fruits in the province. This has increased exports and reduced the amount of fruit wastage,” he said.
Mazandaran’s citrus fruit orchards stretch across 112,000 hectares, 110,000 hectares of which currently bear fruit. Out of the total figure, close to 80,000 hectares and 30,000 hectares have undergone orange and tangerine cultivation while lemons, limes and bitter oranges are produced on the rest.
According to Hossein Negahdar, the deputy head of Mazandaran Agricultural Organization, the northern province accounts for around 23% of the country’s total employment in the agriculture sector.
Mazandaran Province, located in northern Iran along the Caspian Sea, cultivates 72 kinds of agricultural products, the annual yields of which amount to nearly 7 million tons. The province accounts for only 2.5% of Iran’s arable land, yet it annually produces 7% and 11% of the country’s agricultural products in weight and value respectively.
According to Hosseinali Qovanlou, a local official, food industries account for 42% of the province’s production units, which have thrived despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
With an overall 150,000 hectares of orchards, Mazandaran is the top producer of horticultural products in Iran.
