AHVAZ, Khuzestan Prov. – An exclusive exhibition of Khuzestan-made goods will be held in the Iraqi province of Maysan next month, a provincial Trade Organization official said on Tuesday.

“Khuzestan Trade Organization will also organize trade tours for the province’s businessmen in the next three months,” Musavi claimed, adding these tours would be aimed at marketing local industries’ products and services abroad and providing an opportunity for business people to visit international exhibitions.

Stevedoring at northern ports surpasses 500,000 tons

SARI, Mazandaran Prov. – More than 500,000 tons of goods was loaded and unloaded in the country’s northern ports during the first seven months of the current Iranian year (March 21-October 22, 2006).

Loading comprised 151,090 tons of the stevedored volume. However, local Ports and Shipping officials say they need more ships in order to extend the Caspian Sea’s commercial shipping lines.

Currently, a Russian shipbuilder, Volgograd Shipyard, is building four 6,750-ton ships for the Caspian Sea Shipping Lines, the first of which, named Iran Anzali, to be launched next month.

Official admits excessive grazing of cattle on rangelands

TEHRAN – The director of the country’s Forest & Range Organization Jalali said on Tuesday that some 80 million cattle is being grazed on grasslands across the country while these fields could only provide food for a total of 30 million.

“This is going to seriously damage the livestock forage,” he warned, adding, thus, many forage species would disappear and then nothing can be done to compensate.

He then admitted that the only solution to this problem is to promote the industrial livestock husbandry across the country and teach cattle farmers to gradually do away with traditional husbandry methods.

Iran’s fruits, greens first choice in UAE

TEHRAN – People in the UAE are developing a taste for fresh Iranian fruits and vegetables, IRNA reported on Tuesday.

Each kilogram of Iranian kiwi is being sold at $1.9/Kg in the Arab country’s market, while Iran’s grape is priced $2.7 per kilo. Meanwhile, each kilo of Iranian pomegranate is being offered to the UAE market at 1.4 dollars.

Another favorite at this market is Iranian watermelon. Right after the 33-day war in southern Lebanon this summer, which severely hit the Mediterranean state’s agricultural sector, the UAE, a major buyer of Lebanese fruits and veggies turned to Iran as the best alternative supplier of healthy, fresh greens.

Drought causes $6.5m loss for northern Iran’s warm-water fish farming

GORGAN, Golestan Prov. – The warm-water fish farming industry in the northern provinces of Golestan and Mazandaran has lost over $6.5 million to this year’s low rainfall and the subsequent drought.

The industry’s output has shrunk by 5,000 tons in Mazandaran and 1,000 tons in Golestan. Therefore, the projected 15-20% growth for this year’s warm-water fish production would not materialize and may at most reach 110,000 tons – equal to last year’s figure.

Mazandaran alone accounts for 30 percent of the country’s farm fish production.