TEHRAN, Iran, October 6. Iran’s cotton production is likely to grow by 20 percent by the end of the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2022) based on the increase in harvest, the director of the cotton production in Iran Ebrahim Hezarjaribi told Trend.
Iran is expected to harvest about 300,000 tons of cotton by the end of the current year, which shows growth compared to 250,00 tons of cotton that were harvested in the last Iranian year (started March 21, 2021), he noted.
Hezarjaribi pointed out that Iran’s cotton import during the first five months of the current year has declined by 15 percent compared to the same time in the last year.
The Ministry of Agriculture is monitoring import volume due to cotton farmers’ concern about extensive import that threatens domestic production.
Cotton harvest has started in Golestan and parts of Razavi Khorasan provinces that would continue until winter, he said.
The supply of domestic cotton seed has doubled in the current year which led to an increase in cotton production, he indicated.
According to the official, about 30 percent of the country’s harvest is from contract farming sponsored by the private sector.
The private sector includes textile industries and cotton processing factories, cooperatives are active in cultivation and the sector provides financial aid and inputs to farmers as part of contract farming.