Tehran, Iran, Oct. 29
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
Iran annually produces 16 million metric tons of garden products.
Deputy Agricultural Jihad Minister Mohammad Ali Tahmasebi said the ministry is paying loans and facilities to domestic farmers in order to increase the country's total production, Iran's IRNA News Agency reported Oct. 29.
He further predicted that the country's pistachio and saffron producers would face a good harvesting year.
"Saffron exports are expected to surpass 300 metric tons," Tahmasebi added.
Deputy Agricultural Jihad Minister Abdolmehdi Bakhsahnde said on July 23 that Iran allocated $10 billion to the development of agriculture sector.
"The mentioned amount will be paid out of the country's National Development Fund," he said, Iran's IRNA News Agency reported.
"The leader of Iran's Islamic revolution has approved the decision," he explained.
Bakhshande went on to note that based on an order from the president, the 22-percent interest rate of loans allocated to the sector will be revised.
Iran is the Middle East and North Africa's greatest producer of garden products, and ranks 8th or 9th in the world, an official with the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad said Oct. 22.
Iran has been ranked between 8th and 10th in global fruit production in different years. In the productions of pomegranates and pistachios Iran ranks first, in dates and cherries, 3rd, 4th in the production of apples and walnuts, and, 7th in producing citrus fruits. 50 kinds of fruits are grown in Iran. The record for pomegranate production is 100 tons in a hectare of land, 146 ton for apples and 70 tons for oranges.
