Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar.14
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
Iran's seafood exports are forecast to hit $300 million by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20), ISNA quoted Iran's Fishery Organisation Director Hassan Salehi as saying on March 14.
Last year, 46,000 tons of seafood was exported and 45,000 tons were imported, most of which was processed into canned food products, he added.
In November 2013, the Fars News Agency quoted head of the union of fish and shrimp producers Arsalan Qasemi as saying that over 14,000 hectares area of fish farms have been built in the country, but just a 4000 hectare area of the farms is being used for fish and shrimp cultivation.
Iraq, Spain, France, Germany, and Italy are the main destination markets for Iran's fish. Russia and Ukraine are the new markets for Iran's fish exports.
Iran's annual catch in the fishery sector was around 500,000 tons in the previous year.
Iran's total catch stood at 450,000 tons two years ago. The catch off the southern coast totalled 412,000 tons in that year, while the catch off the northern coast totalled 38,000 tons.
Edited by S.M.