TEHRAN- Iran’s Agriculture Minister Kazem Khavazi said that his ministry supports the cage culture plans, IRNA reported.

The minister also said that the Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute helps those active in the implementation of these plans.

Referring to the request of the units active in the cage culture for the development of this sector, Khavazi said, “This sector was unknown in the country at the time of its establishment; related issues and the probable problems were unclear, but now we do not have any limitation for the development of this sector and entrance of new investors in this area.”

Fishery production has increased noticeably in Iran in recent years.

Iran Fisheries Organization (IFO) Head Nabiollah Khoun-Mirzaei has put the country’s annual fishery output at 1.28 million tons in the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20), and said the figure is anticipated to reach 1.37 million tons in this year, and surpass 1.5 million tons in the next year.

Khoun-Mirzaei has announced that the country’s fishery export stood at 146,000 tons worth $538.9 million in the past Iranian year, while the import was 29,000 tons valued at $98.9 million, so Iran’s fishery trade balance was $440 million in the previous year.

He has also said that 233,059 persons are currently working in the country’s fishery sector.

Putting the country’s fishery output at 1.28 million tons in the past year, the official said it is while the planned figure was 1.25 million tons, and underscored that this amount of output was achieved despite the sanctions and related difficulties in the previous year.

He noted that the output, which was more than the projected amount, was achieved through the help of research sectors as well as the ground laid by the private sector.

Referring to the high quality of Iran’s fishery products, the head of the IFO said that these products were sold easily in the export markets.

In mid-January, he had also said that new export destinations have welcomed Iran’s high-quality fishery products in the past Iranian calendar year.

“New markets including China, South Korea, and the Eurasian Union nations have opened up for Iranian fishery products in this year”, Khoun-Mirzaei said at the time.

“Based on the negotiations and agreements signed between Iran and China by the minister of agriculture, the Chinese fishery market has been opened to Iranian products. The Eurasian nations and South Korean markets have also welcomed Iranian fishery products and have the potential for exports,” the official explained.

According to the IFO Deputy Head Hossein Ali Abdolhay, some 12 aquatic species are already bred in Iran and the figure is planned to reach 17 by the end of the Sixth Five-Year National Development Plan (March 2021).

MA/MA