BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 5
By Elnur Bagishov – Trend:
More than 103,390 tons of tea leaves worth 4 trillion rials (about $95.2 million) have been purchased from farmers in Iran from the beginning of current Iranian year (March 20, 2020) to date (September 5), Chairman of Iran Tea Organization Habib Jahansaz said, Trend reports citing Ministry of Agriculture Jihad.
Jahansaz stressed that the volume of purchased tea leaves increased by 1 percent compared to the same period last Iranian year.
He added that 58,700 tons of purchased tea leaves were the 1st grade, and 45,300 tons were the 2nd grade.
The chairman noted that 23,200 tons of dry tea has been produced so far.
Jahansaz said that so far, 85 percent of the value of purchased tea has been paid to farmers.
"Thus, with the payment of 50 billion rials (about $1.19 million) recently, the amount paid funds has increased to 3.4 trillion rials (about $80.9 million)," he said.
It is forecasted that 130,000-135,000 tons of tea leaves will be purchased from farmers in the current Iranian year.
The price of first-grade tea leaves is 46,000 rials (about $1.09), and the cost of second-grade tea leaves is 33,000 rials (about 78 cents) this year.
In Iran, some products such as rice, sugar beet, wheat and tea are purchased from farmers by a state-owned company under a guarantee and paid for in installments.