Kerman Produces 300,000 Tons of Dates

Some 300,000 tons of dates are produced in Kerman province annually, said the head of provincial dates association.

Mohsen Rashid-Farrokhi said the figure comprised about one fourth of the total dates produced in the country per year.

Iran is the third producer of dates in the world after Egypt and UAE, he said adding some 8 million tons of dates are produced in the world annually, IRNA reported.

He also said that about 15 percent of total dates produced in the province are exported.

Meanwhile, deputy head of the province’s Industries, Mines and Trade Organization Jalaleddin Sam said some $48.586 million worth of dates were exported from the province in the past Iranian year (ended March 19), adding the figure comprised 28 percent of total dates exported by the country during the period.

“Iran exported about $174.294 million worth of dates last year. Proper plans should be outlined to help achieve the export targets set for the current year,” the official added.

Sam said that about 150 billion rials ($15 million) in facilities have been allocated for date exports in the current year.

In August, the head of Khuzestan Agricultural Jihad Department for gardening affairs said production and exports of dates have increased during the current year compared to last year.

Halim Kooti said Iran has targeted markets of Central Asia and newly independent states of Eurasia instead of Western and European destinations.

Iran holds 10 percent of 1.2 million tons of global date trade, he said, adding Khuzestan province ranks first in terms of production and exports of date crop across the country.

The entire volume of Iran’s date exports stands at 125,000 tons, of which 50,000 tons pertains to Khuzestan province, he explained. He put the country’s total date output at one million tons, of which 175,000 tons are produced in Khuzestan and the rest in other parts of Iran.