Pistachio topped the list of Iran’s exports of agricultural and food products in the first 11 months of last Iranian year (March 21, 2022-Feb. 19) in terms of value with $367.35 million.
Following pistachio was tomato worth $283.64 million, dates worth $261.78 million and watermelon worth $183.65 million, data released by the Agriculture Ministry show.
In terms of tonnage, watermelon topped the list with 840,350 tons, tomato with 610,170 tons, followed by apple with 549,220 tons, onion, shallot and garlic with 393,650 tons and dates with 309,260 tons.
Iran’s overall pistachio exports have been on a decline since the fiscal 2007-08 when exports of the products reached 265,000 tons.
According to an Agriculture Ministry official, Daryoush Salempour, the exports stood at $915 million in the fiscal 2021-22.
The tonnage of exports reportedly stood at 135,000 tons that year.
“Pistachio orchards account for 20% of all of Iran’s orchards and are mainly located in the provinces of Kerman, Khorasan Razavi, South Khorasan, Yazd, Fars, Semnan, Maekazi, Qom, Qazvin, Sistan-Baluchestan, Tehran and Isfahan,” he said.
He noted that drought, frost, depletion of groundwater and water salinity are posing serous threat to Iran’s pistachio orchards.