Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 10
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran exported $2.53 billion worth of garden products in the first eleven months of the current Iranian fiscal year, which began on March 21, 2014.
Iranian deputy agriculture minister Jahangir Arab, said that exports of garden products rose 30 percent both in weight and value compared to the same period in the previous year, Iran 's IRIB reported on March 10.
Iran annually produces 16 million metric tons of garden products, he said, adding that the figure can be increased to 20 million metric tons through utilizing modern farming methods.
The country plans to increase exports of garden products from currently 900,000 metric tons to two million metric tons annually, he noted.
Deputy Agricultural Minister Abdolmehdi Bakhsahnde said in July 2014 that Iran allocated $10 billion to the development of agriculture sector.
Iran has been ranked between 8th and 10th in global fruit production in different years. In the productions of pomegranates and pistachios Iran ranks first, in dates and cherries, 3rd, 4th in the production of apples and walnuts, and, 7th in producing citrus fruits. 50 kinds of fruits are grown in Iran . The record for pomegranate production is 100 tons in a hectare of land, 146 ton for apples and 70 tons for oranges.