ARDESTAN, Isfahan Prov. - The agricultural products including fresh and dried fruits and vegetables comprise only two percent of the country's exports, said the Minister of Agriculture Issa Kalantari here Friday. He added that $600 million worth of agricultural products were exported during the last Iranian year (ended March 20). Given the reduction of oil revenues, he said the economic revitalization plan calls for sufficient banking credits to be extended to the export sector to expand the country's non-oil exports.

Kalantari further said that to prevent immigration of the rural population to the cities, mainly caused by water shortages, the government has embarked on schemes to build small dams and divert embankments to pool seasonal waters in the mountainous areas. (IRNA)