Iran exported $5.2 billion worth of agricultural products in the past Iranian calendar year to late March, marking a 29% increase compared to the previous year, the country’s Customs Administration (IRICA) announced on Saturday.
The volume of agricultural exports reached 7.6 million metric tons, up 11% year-on-year, according to the report.
Key agricultural exports during this period included pistachios, tomatoes, and dates. Pistachio exports alone accounted for $1.5 billion, while tomato and date exports stood at $233 million and $205 million respectively.
Iran also exported 214.3 metric tons of saffron valued at $184.7 million. However, the saffron figures represented a 4% decline in volume and a 13% drop in value compared to the previous year, according to Hamid Bayat, Director General of IRICA Statistics and Data Processing Office.
Bayat noted that the United Arab Emirates, Spain, and China were the top three buyers of Iranian saffron during the reporting period. The UAE imported $50 million worth of saffron, followed by Spain with $40 million and China with $30 million. These three countries collectively accounted for 65% of Iran’s total saffron export value in the past year.