TEHRAN – Iranian knowledge-based companies will attend the Agritex Exhibition for Agriculture and Veterinary Supplies 2021, which will be held in Syria on 19-24 June, to put the country’s potential in the field of medicinal plants on display.

Production of Iranian products of medicinal plants is one of the export platforms, trade opportunities, and technological interaction with other countries.

Syria has long been one of the most important and strategic countries to Iran, and with the beginning of economic rehabilitation, the creation of innovation centers, the technological interaction between the two countries has become more important.

One of the serious areas of economic interaction between Iran and Syria is the medicinal and aromatic plants industry, which includes herbal pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food industry, flavors, perfumes, and other natural products.

The event is an opportunity for local and foreign companies specialized in the poultry and agriculture sector to brief on the various plant and animal products currently available in the domestic and foreign markets.

Knowledge-based companies also have the opportunity to visit major Syrian companies in the field of medicinal and aromatic plants, as well as important economic and industrial centers in Syria.

Currently, over 5,700 knowledge-based companies are active in Iran, manufacturing diverse products to meet the needs of the domestic market while saving large amounts of foreign currency, in addition to export the items.

8,000 herbal species grow in Iran

So far, about 30,000 plant species are identified in the world, with Iran's share of about 8,000 species that its plant diversity is more than the whole of Europe.

Currently, about 2,300 species of medicinal plants have been identified in the country. While medicinal plants account for one-third of the medicines used in human societies, the share of world trade in these products is about $124 billion and Iran’s share is $570 million, which is only 0.5 percent of the total.

The Sixth National Development Plan (2016-2021) envisages the rehabilitation of 9.6 million hectares of rangeland and medicinal plant habitats and cultivation of medicinal plants in 100,000 hectares.

The per capita consumption of medicinal plants in Iran is about one kilogram of dried plants, in other words, 83,000 tons of medicinal plants worth 1.2 trillion rials (around $29 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) are consumed in the country, while in Europe this amount is 900 grams and in the United States is 2.5 kilograms.

224,000 ha under cultivation of medicinal herbs

Hossein Zeynali, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture, has said some 224,000 hectares of area is currently under cultivation of medicinal herbs.

“During the last 2 years, we focused mainly on the development of a number of medicinal plants such as saffron, rosemary, and Persian cumin, that their cultivation is high in the country and brought an export revenue of 400 million dollars annually,” he said.

“Also, in the next two years, by increasing the quality or mechanization of these products, the comparative advantage of these products will increase compared to other countries, and we will certainly be the main exporters in the coming years.”

Statistics show that the consumption of medicinal plants in the country has become processed, and decreased imports by $50-60 million, on the other hand, increased the exports, he noted.

“Next year, we plan to completely cultivate Persian shallot in the Zagros forests, in addition to celery, so that increase exports and exchange rates while meeting the country's needs, he said, highlighting, for the development of medicinal plants, between 10 to 20 trillion rials (nearly $238) are allocated annually.”

FB/MG