Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
Iran will produce 160,000 tons of pistachio in the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 21, head of Iran's Pistachio Producers and Exporters Union said on Dec. 9.
"The predicted figure was around 190,000 tons," the IRNA News Agency quoted Mohsen Jalalpour as saying.
"Pests, water shortage, and climate difficulties are among the major reasons that prevented farmers from reaching the set goal,' he explained.
"Iran produced 280,000 tons of pistachio in the calendar year of 1386 (2007)," Jalapour said, adding that repeating the figure seems impossible now.
Iran Customs Administration reported on Dec. 1 that the country exported more than 17,000 tons of pistachio and saffron worth $122.1 million in the eighth calendar month of the current year (October 23 - November 22).
Between Oct. 23 and Nov. 22, Iran exported 12,400 tons of 'smiling pistachio' worth over $98.2 million, which is 40 per cent less than the same month last year, the Fars News Agency reported.
Iran's total pistachio exports in the month stood at $105.9 million.
The country's total saffron exports in the eighth calendar month also amounted to $16.2 million.
Iran exported 32,300 tons of 'smiling pistachio' worth over $265.8 million in the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 21.
The figures show a 21.28 and a 22.57 percent decrease in terms of value and weight, respectively, compare to the same period of time last year, the ISNA News Agency reported.
Pistachio was Iran's 13th biggest export item in this period.
Iran exported pistachio to 55 countries. Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Iraq, Vietnam, Russia, Germany, Turkey, Afghanistan, and India were the main 10 destinations for Iran's exported pistachio.
Iran exported 42,200 tons of pistachio worth $377.3 million in the first seven months of the current year.
Jalalpour previously said that Iran produced 140,000 tons of pistachio in the current Iranian calendar year.
"The figure is 25 percent less than the predicted amount," the ISNA News Agency quoted him as saying.