Azerbaijan, Baku, Sep.17/ Trend F.Karimov/
Iran produced just 60 tons of caviar in the past Iranian calendar year which ended on March 20; Tasnim News Agency quoted the Managing Director of the Fish and Shrimp Farmers Union, Arsalan Qasemi as saying.
Sturgeon is farmed in 16 provinces of the country he said, adding that China has benefited from Iranian expertise to produce 10 tons of caviar.
He referred to internal and external sanctions as the main problem in this sector, adding that 12 years ago 300 tons of caviar was produced from the Caspian Sea, but the figure has dropped to two tons.
Iran's caviar output is projected to hit three tons in the next Iranian calendar year which starts on March 21, IRNA quoted the Iranian Fishery Organisation Director Gholamreza Razeqi as saying.
Over one tons of caviar has been produced so far in the current year and some half of it has been exported, he added.
Some five million sturgeon fries were released by the fishery organisation in the Caspian Sea, he noted.
Previously, Razeqi said that the value of the exports of Iran's fishery sector will surpass $350 million in the current calendar year.
"Exports stood at $210 million last year," Razeqi said, IRNA reported.
Some 4000 tons of shrimp, valued at around $17 million was exported last year to the UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon, Australia and Spain, he said, adding that infrastructures have been provided to export 500 kilogrammes of caviar in the current year.
Iran plans to increase its annual caviar output 10 fold to one ton in the current calendar year, Razeqi said in June.