Iranian Deputy Minister: Export of Agricultural Products Up by 15% in 9 Months

Export of agricultural products has increased by 15 percent during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 21-December 20) compared to the same period in 2011, Iranian Deputy Agricultural Jihad Minister Jahangir Pourhemmat announced on Saturday.

“Export of farming products has increased 15% compared to the previous year, while the agricultural exports are still on the increase on a daily basis,” Pourhemmat said.

“Over 95% of Iran’s needed products are produced inside the country which is highly important for the country’s political independence,” he added.

Iranian officials have on repeated occasions reiterated that the US-led western sanctions on the country have positively influenced Iran’s economy.

The Iranian Custom’s Office reported in December that Iran’s agricultural exports have experienced an eye-catching growth in the first eight months of the current Iranian year (March 20-November 21) irrespective of the much hyped about sanctions imposed by the US and its western allies against the country.

Iran’s pistachio exports weighed 74,000 tons and its value stood at $587mln, which showed a 100-percent growth in the said period both in terms of weight and value.

The country also exported a total of 100 tons of saffron with a value of $213mln in the same period, showing a growth of 87 percent in value.

The value of 73,000 tons of tomato exported from Iran to other countries in the first eight months of the current Iranian year stood at $130mln which showed a 20-percent-growth in weight and 40-percent-growth in value.

Iran also exported 323,000 tons of potato to other countries worth $129mln, added the review, saying that the figure showed a nearly 72 percent growth both in terms of weight and value.

A total of 47,000 tons of dairy products (with the exception of yoghurt) with a value of $26mln were also exported in the same period, which displayed a 7.7-percent increase and 13.5-percent rise in terms of weight and value, respectively.

The value of 315,000 tons of water-melon exported from Iran to other countries stood at $80mln in the said period, which again indicated a growth in exports.

Iran exported 100,000 tons of apples with a total value of $85mln, which showed 68 percent rise in weight and 59 percent in value.

Also, Iran’s kiwi exports in the period stood at 32,000 tons, worth $27mln, said the report, adding that the figures showed 19 percent growth in weight and 32 percent growth in value.