Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 15
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on a project for improving genetic resources of rainbow trout fish in the country.
Under the deal, which was signed by Serge Nakouzi, the representative of FAO to Iran, and Hassan Salehi, the Iranian deputy agriculture minister, FAO will allocate $330,000 for the project, Iran’s IRIB news agency reported Feb. 15.
The project titled “Genetic Improvement of Rainbow Trout in the Islamic Republic of Iran” will be implemented over a two-year period in northern Mazandaran Province.
The focus will be on the establishment of a selective breeding program for rainbow trout.
Salehi said that Iran ranks first in the world in terms of farming rainbow trout with 140,000 tons of product per year.
Nakouzi, for his turn, said during the signing ceremony that FAO has long-term cooperation plans with Iran’s fisheries organization for increasing product output and improving food security.