Baku, Azerbaijan, March 2
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:
Since the beginning of the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2018), Malekan county of Iran's East Azerbaijan province has exported 60,000 tons of raisins, Hassan Alivand, head of local agricultural administration, said in an interview with IRNA, Trend reports March 2.
Alivand noted that the county's revenues from raisin exports amounted to nine trillion rials (roughly $214 million).
Along with local raisins, Malekan bought grapes from other Iranian counties, processed, packaged and exported, he said.
Raisins account for 60 percent of Malikan's fruit production and are exported to 30 countries, including the Gulf countries, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, the UK, as well as several African and Asian countries, Alivand said.
In terms of quality Malikan's raisin ranks first in Iran and also has its customers abroad, he added.
Malikan county of East Azerbaijan province has a population of 110,000. The total area of the county's vineyards reach 11,000 hectares and 260,000 tons of grapes are harvested here annually.