BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 17. Iran is one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of tomatoes, a crop that is cultivated all year round in different regions of the country, Trend reports.
According to the data from the Central Union of Rural and Agricultural Cooperatives of Iran, Iran shipped 480,000 tons of various kinds of tomatoes abroad, earning more than $232 million in the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 21 through December 21, 2023). This shows a 4 percent increase in value and a 2 percent increase in volume compared to the same period of the previous year.
The report also revealed that the export performance of different types of tomatoes varied depending on the cultivation method.
So, tomatoes grown in the open area accounted for 343,000 tons of the total exports, worth about $158 million. These figures represent an 18 percent rise in value and a 15 percent rise in volume compared to the same period last year.
On the other hand, tomatoes grown in greenhouses contributed 135,000 tons of the total exports, worth $73.6 million. These figures indicate an 18 percent drop in value and a 24 percent drop in volume compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, cherry tomatoes, a specialty product, made up 2,060 tons of the total exports, worth $1.16 million. These figures show a 49 percent surge in value and a 31 percent surge in volume compared to the same period last year.
The main destinations for Iran’s tomato exports in nine months were Iraq, the UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, and Afghanistan.
In total, Iran exported over 6 million tons of agricultural and food products valued at $4.31 billion for 9 months, showing an increase of 7.2 percent in volume and 22 percent in value compared to the same period last year.
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