Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.15 / Trend F.Mehdi/
Iran's agricultural exports during the first 10 months of the current Iranian calendar year which began on March 20, 2012, have grown by 25 per cent compared to the same period in the preceding year, ISNA quoted Iranian Agriculture Minister Sadeq Khalilian as saying.
Over 400 agricultural products are produced in the country he said, adding that some 90 trillion rials (about $7.3 billion) in low interest loans have been paid to farmers.
On February 12, IRNA quoted Iranian Agriculture Ministry official Rahmatollah Parichehr as saying that during the past two years, over $2 billion worth of agricultural products, mainly pistachios and raisins have been exported.
This year, apples and citrus fruits have also been exported, he noted.
On January 20, IRNA quoted another Agriculture Ministry official Naser Tavakkoli as saying that Iran plans to increase its agricultural exports to 118 million tons in the current Iranian calendar year from 107 million tons in the past year.
Iran's agricultural exports grew last year with pistachio and saffron sales almost doubling despite Western sanctions on trade with the country, the Fars News Agency quoted Iran's deputy agriculture minister Jahangir Pourhemmat as saying on January 6.
Between March 21 and December 20, Iran's pistachio exports doubled to $587 million, making nuts Iran's biggest agricultural export by value. Exports of saffron rose 87 per cent to $213 million, according to Reuters.
"Export of farming products has increased 15 per cent compared to the previous year, while agricultural exports are still on the increase on a daily basis," Pourhemmat added.