Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 15
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
Iran’s colza production is expected to reach 350,000-400,000 tons in the current crop year (started Sept. 22, 2017), said Alireza Mohajer, an official with the country’s Agriculture Ministry.
Mohajer said the country’s colza output for the crop year to Sept. 22, 2017 amounted to some 182,000 tons, the official website of the Iranian Agriculture Ministry reported.
The figure stood at 68,500 tons in the preceding crop year (2015-2016), the official added.
Iran has allocated about 30 million rials (each USD makes 36,500 rials) of credit per each hectare for the cultivation of colza and other oilseeds in the current year, he said.
Iran has taken various measures in recent years to boost the country’s oilseed output, to reduce the country’s reliance on imports of raw vegetable oils.
Earlier in 2016, Mohajer said that 90 percent of the unprocessed vegetable oil and oilseed meal required in the country are supplied through imports, which results in the outflow of billions of dollars every year.
The ministry plans to achieve 70 percent self-sufficiency in the production of oilseeds within the next 10 years.
Per capita vegetable oil consumption in Iran is about 18-19 kilograms a year. The global average is 12 kilograms.