BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 13. The irradiation center was put into operation on June 13 in Razavi Khorasan Province, located in northeastern Iran, Trend reports.
The event was held in Iran's Razavi Khorasan Province. Iran's 1st Vice President, Mohammad Mokhber, Iran's Vice President and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammad Eslami, and other officials attended the event.
Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Pejman Shirmardi stated that this irradiation center can potentially irradiate 600 kg to 1 ton of agricultural products and foodstuffs every hour.
Shirmardi noted that in the first stage, agricultural and food products are irradiated with microwaves in the irradiation center.
The official added that the second stage will use an irradiation pool system capable of irradiating 100 tons of food products daily. Thus, the quality and export of the region's agricultural products will improve. It is planned to spend 1 trillion rials (about $2.63 million) for the second phase.
"Irradiation aims to improve the quality of Iran's agricultural products. It is planned to put 12 irradiation centers into operation by the end of the current government's term (Iran will elect an extraordinary president and form a new government on June 28)," he said.
Meanwhile, Iran claims that it is their natural right to utilize their nuclear program for peaceful purposes.
To note, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami stated that the country produces 130 million tons of agricultural products annually. Of its 40 million tons, 30 percent become waste. The establishment of radiation centers will help prevent agrarian products from turning into waste.
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