Agriculture sector grows 5.6%, tops economy: Minister
Iran’s Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh announced a 5.6 percent growth in the agricultural sector during last Iranian calendar year (began on March 20, 2024), saying the sector, despite climatic challenges and economic constraints, secured the highest growth rate among all sectors and added one percent to its share in the national economy.
Speaking on Tuesday at the 40th session of the Food Security Coordination Headquarters, Nouri Ghezeljeh said agriculture had risen from a negative 2.4 percent growth rate to positive 3.2 percent and was the only sector to exceed the 5.5 percent growth target of the Seventh Development Plan, achieving 5.6 percent, IRNA reported.
The minister credited this achievement to the efforts of producers and agricultural associations. Detailing the performance, he said output had increased in several areas, including a 27 percent rise in sturgeon farming, 12 percent in cage farming, 5 percent in raw milk, 2 percent in red meat, and 2 percent in eggs.
Nouri Ghezeljeh added that agricultural exports had also grown by 32 percent, while the trade deficit in the sector improved from minus $11 billion to minus $8 billion.
Agricultural exports up 10%
The minister noted that in the first four months of the year, while the country’s overall exports declined by 14 percent, agricultural exports rose by 10 percent, reflecting the effort and resilience of producers, importers, and exporters in the sector.
1.2m tons of animal feed offered on platform
The agriculture minister also reported that more than 1.2 million tons of animal feed have been offered on the “Bazargah” platform.
Referring to fisheries, he added that structural measures have been taken in the field, and aquaculture has achieved the growth target set in the Seventh Development Plan.