BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 4. Iran's cotton imports decreased by 15 percent during seven months of the current Iranian year (from March 20 through November 20, 2024) compared to the same period last year (March 21 through November 21, 2023), the official of Iran's Ministry of Agriculture Ebrahim Hezarjaribi told reporters, Trend reports.
According to him, reducing cotton imports by 15 percent over seven months has saved $250 million.
Hezarjaribi added that Iran imported 108,000 tons of cotton last Iranian year (from March 21, 2023, through March 19, 2024). The mentioned volume of cotton imports is detrimental to the country's domestic production.
The official noted that 80,000 ha of land has been planted with
cotton in the country during the current year (from March 20, 2024,
through March 20, 2025), of which 40 percent has been harvested so
far.
He added that 220,000 tons of raw cotton have been produced so far,
and about 65,000 tons of cotton and 120,000 tons of raw cotton will
be produced.
“The outbreak of power shortages in the country harms cotton processing. In addition, the main reason why farmers are not interested in growing cotton is the import of cheap cotton. This year, almost half of the country's cotton requirements will be met by domestic production. However, in the 1990s, the country's cotton production was sufficient; even additional cotton was exported,” he said.
To note, Iran's annual cotton demand is about 150,000 tons.
