Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.19/ Trend F.Milad
Iran has exported over 85 million kilograms of pistachio worth some 699.79 million dollars in the first ten months of the current Iranian calendar year, which began March 20, 2012.
The figures show 5.97 percent increase in terms of value, and 5.7 percent decrease in terms of volume.
Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Germany, Iraq, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, India, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Belgium, and Turkey were the main destination markets for Iranian pistachio exports.
Pistachio exports account for 0.15 percent and 2.63 percent of Iran's total exports in terms of volume and value, respectively.
Iran was the world's second largest pistachio exporter in the mentioned period.
It was announced last week that Iran has banned exports of pistachio in a bid to curb rising prices in the domestic market. Iranian First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi had ordered stopping pistachio exports for 6 months in order to help regulate the prices, the Fars News Agency reported.
Assadollah Asgaroladi, the Head of Export Commission of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines, had said on Saturday that Iran will allow pistachio exports only if the domestic market is well-supplied.
Finally, Deputy Director of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran, Kioumars Fathollah Kermanshahi announced on Sunday that Iran has lifted the ban on pistachio exports.
Mohsen Jalalpour, the head of the association Iranian pistachio farmers, said on Monday that Pistachio exporters will offer some 5,000 tons of pistachio in domestic markets in the near future.
The move will decrease the price of pistachio to 300,000 rials (some $24.5 based on the official rate of USD), he said.
Iranian Customs Administration data shows that each kilogram of Iranian exquisite pistachio is currently exported at $8.2.
This is while the same product is sold at around 500,000 rials (about $40 based on the official rate of USD) in the domestic market.
Fathollah Kermanshahi said Iran annually produces 150-200,000 tons of pistachio, adding that currently Iran and the U.S. are the main producers of pistachio, he added.
By putting a ban on pistachio exports, Tehran will lose its target markets to Washington, Fathollah Kermanshahi explained.
Pistachio output is projected to hit 200,000 tons this year. The output stood at 180,000 tons last year.
Exports are estimated to amount to 130,000 tons in the current year.
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