Horticultural exports rake in $4.3b: Deputy minister
Iran's horticultural exports rose to $4.3 billion from $2.9 billion since July 2024, Deputy Agriculture Minister Mohammad-Mehdi Boroumandi said on Saturday.
Iran's exports of horticultural and greenhouse products and foreign exchange revenue from these products have risen to $4.3 billion from about $2.9 billion at the start of the current government in July 2024, Boroumandi said, according to the Mehr news agency.
Boroumandi said one of the key achievements in the sector had been an improvement in the foreign exchange balance of agricultural products.
He said at a meeting on Saturday that, based on data registered in the Beneficiary Information System, Iran's horticultural production stood at 24.7 million tons at the start of the current government in July 2024 and had risen to 26.9 million tons.
Despite problems and constraints in the energy and water sectors, horticultural production is expected to reach 27.6 million tons in the current year, which began on March 21, 2026, he said.
Provincial estimates also point to production growth of about 12% in the sector.
Boroumandi, who oversees horticultural affairs at the Agriculture Ministry, pointed to plans to expand tropical fruit production.
"One of the Agriculture Ministry's key plans has been the development of tropical crops," he said.
The area under banana cultivation has increased to about 14,200 hectares from 12,400 hectares at the start of the government, he said.
"Banana production has also risen from about 23,000 tons at the start of the government to about 36,100 tons, and we expect this to increase to about 44,000 tons going forward."
"During this period, the country's greenhouse area has increased by about 600 hectares, while greenhouse production has risen from 3.2 million tons to 3.9 million tons."
Boroumandi also pointed to expanded international cooperation in the horticultural sector, saying cooperation with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other relevant organizations had increased and that good progress had been made in products including saffron, pistachios and dates.
"Joint projects with FAO have been carried out in the horticultural sector, and in some areas, long-standing cases dating back several years have also been resolved, including the issue of tea. Overall, production in these sectors has gained momentum," he said.