TEHRAN- According to a report by the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI), the country's point-to-point inflation rate reached 45.3 percent in the sixth month of the current Iranian calendar year, Shahrivar (August 23-Septemebr 22), which shows a 2.9 percentage point increase compared to last month. This means that Iranian households, on average, spent 45.3 percent more than in Shahrivar of last year to purchase an identical basket of goods and services.

Among commodity groups, fruits and dried fruits with a monthly inflation of nine percent, and vegetables and legumes with 8.7 percent, had the highest inflation rates.

Seyed Reza Noorani, the head of the Iran National Agricultural Products Union, explained the main reasons for the price surge in the agricultural products sector as follows:

1. Labor Shortage and the Expulsion of Afghan Workers

One of the main reasons for the decrease in production and increase in prices is the expulsion of Afghan migrant workers, who previously played a significant role in harvesting agricultural products. According to Noorani, this issue has caused the cost of harvesting products to increase by up to two times.

2. Decreased Production Due to Weather Conditions

The unfavorable state of the country's water resources and frost damage to orchards in the provinces of Azarbaijan, Kordestan, and Ilam provinces are other factors that have led to a severe decrease in market supply.

3. Consequences of War and Regional Instability

Regional developments and recent wars have also had negative impacts on the supply chain and market for agricultural products.

4. Increase in Ancillary Production Costs

Power outages, and increased costs of packaging and transportation are other major challenges that have led to the surge in prices of fresh agricultural products.

MA