BAKU, Azerbaijan, Apr. 20
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
About 32,000 tons of dry tea can be produced in Iran, if the climatic conditions are favorable in the current Iranian year (from March 21, 2021 through March 20, 2022), the Chairman of Iran Tea Organization Habib Jahansaz told Trend.
Jahansaz stressed that tea leaves harvesting in Iran will be launched on Apr. 21 and will continue until October 22, 2021.
The chairman added that the guaranteed purchase of tea from tea farmers has increased by 45 percent this year compared to last year. This is welcomed by farmers. So, 1 kilogram of 1st grade tea leaves will be purchased from farmers for 66,900 rials (about $1.59), and 2nd grade tea leaves - for 44,800 rials (about $1.06) in the current Iranian year.
“About 130,000 tons of tea leaves were purchased from farmers in Iran over the last Iranian year (from March 20, 2020 through March 20, 2021). As a result, 30,000 tons of dry tea were produced,” he said.
Jahansaz noted that annual tea consumption in Iran is about 80,000 tons and reaches a maximum of 100,000 tons. In previous years, 60,000 tons of dry tea were imported to Iran.
According to the chairman, 62,000 tons of dry tea were imported to Iran in the last Iranian year. Iran also exported 5,000-6,000 tons of dry tea within last year.
Jahansaz emphasized that tea plantations are in good condition this year. The farmers are very interested in tea growing.
“A total of 530 billion rials (about $12.6 million) worth of loans were issued for development of tea plantations and tea plants last Iranian year. So, loans worth 320 billion rials (about $7.62 million) were issued to tea farmers to develop plantations and increase production, and loans worth 210 billion rials (about $5 million) were issued to 100 tea factories as working capital,” he said.