(MENAFN) The production of pomegranates in Iran has increased by 10,000 tons in the current Iranian calendar year (starting March 20), according to an official from the Ministry of Agriculture. Zahra Jalili-Moghaddam, the director-general for tropical and semi-tropical fruits at the Ministry, reported that the country now has 96,000 hectares dedicated to pomegranate orchards. This year, approximately 1,340,000 tons of pomegranates were produced, marking an increase of 10,000 tons compared to the previous year.

Horticultural products play a significant role in Iran’s agricultural exports, accounting for roughly 50 percent of the country's annual agricultural exports, as stated by Mohammad-Mehdi Boroumandi, the Deputy Agriculture Minister for Horticulture Affairs. Iran exports around USD3.0 billion worth of horticultural products annually, sending nearly three million tons of such goods to more than 100 countries worldwide.

Iran has about three million hectares of gardens, yielding approximately 26 million tons of horticultural products each year. Despite this, the country remains self-sufficient in producing all kinds of fruits, except for four tropical varieties: bananas, pineapples, coconuts, and mangoes. While these fruits are grown domestically, their production does not meet local demand.

Boroumandi also highlighted Iran's relatively low usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, stating that the country uses less than one liter of pesticide per hectare, significantly lower than the global average of 2.5 liters per hectare. He further pointed out the country’s agricultural strengths, especially in horticulture, such as the annual production of three million tons of citrus fruits in Mazandaran province. Iran also ranks fourth in the world in kiwi production, with significant production in Mazandaran and Gilan provinces.

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