BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 16
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend
The caviar worth $630,000 was exported from Gilan province in northern Iran in the last Iranian year (from March 21, 2019 to March 20, 2020), Azim Modabberi, director of the Fisheries Department for Gilan province said, Trend reports citing Tasnim news agency.
According to Modabberi, last year, 900 kilograms of caviar grown and produced at fishing facilities were exported and sold for $700 per kilogram.
Modabberi added that the caviar was mainly exported to France, Azerbaijan and Russia.
The official said that 55 of 140 sturgeon farms in Iran are located in Gilan province, which makes up 40 percent of sturgeon farms in the country.
"On average, about 3,700 kilograms of caviar are received annually in Gilan province. Last year, 3,600 kilograms of caviar were received, and this figure is about 41 percent higher than the preceding year [from March 21, 2018 to March 21, 2019]," he said.
Modabberi said that it is planned to supply 500 kilograms of caviar in Gilan province in this year (began from March 20, 2020).
The official said that currently, most caviar is supplied by the Talesh county of Gilan province, where 2,500 kilograms of caviar is produced annually.
Modabberi said that according to the decision of the commission on the protection of the Caspian Sea's wildlife, commercial sturgeon fishing in the Caspian Sea has been banned since 2012.
As much as 10.7 tons of sturgeon was raised in Iran last Iranian year.