Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr.28
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran plans to export about 2 million metric tons of caviar in the current Iranian fiscal year, which began on March 21, said Hassan Salehi, the head of Iran 's Fishery Organization.
Last year, about 600 metric tons of sturgeon fish and 1,200 kilograms of caviar were produced in the country, he said, adding that about one metric ton of caviar was exported,Iran 's Mehr news agency reported April 28.
He also said that the Caspian Sea states may extend an agreement to ban hunting sturgeon fish by 2020.
In July, heads of fishery organizations of Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan will meet in Russia to discuss the issue, he noted.
They agreed in Baku in 2010 to ban hunting sturgeon fish for five years and the agreement will be likely extended for other five years, he added.
Iranian caviar is exported to European countries, Caspian Sea states, Persian Gulf states, and the US.
Iran Fisheries Organization's Director for Caviar Affairs Mahmoud Assadollahi said in October 2013 that Iran currently produces less than 20 metric tons of wild caviar annually.
"If the illegal fishing continues, Iran 's wild caviar fish would become extinct in eight years," he said.
Edited by CN