TEHRAN - Managing Director of Iran’s Agricultural Parks Company (APC) says 8.3 trillion rials (about $197.6 million) of facilities have been paid for the development of agricultural parks across the country since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019), IRNA reported.

According to Ali Ashraf Mansouri the mentioned facilities have been paid for development or construction of various agricultural parks including greenhouses, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as livestock and poultry.

More than 150 requests for over 20 trillion rials (over $476 million) of facilities are also currently under consideration by the company, Mansouri said.

“Agricultural Parks Company strives to provide food security, create sustainable employment, utilize water and soil resources, and develop export by utilizing the country's resources and facilities and attracting investment in the agricultural sector,” the official added.

He went on mentioning some of the services and facilities which APC is providing for investors in this area, including providing banking facilities, issuing licenses in the shortest possible time, eliminating redundant bureaucracies, securing land with the possibility of granting of ownership after exploitation, reducing infrastructure costs in settlements, and finally providing specialized training and investment services to investors.

According to the AOC head, since the implementation of a program for developing the country’s agricultural parks by his company, over 7000 hectares of land have been allocated for establishing such parks across the country.

Over 568 establishment licenses have been issued by the company since the beginning of the program, according to Mansouri.

He further noted that currently over 87 agricultural parks have been constructed or are under construction across the country.

The official also said that since the beginning of the current year, more than 80,000 tons of agricultural products have been produced in the country’s agricultural parks.

“This year, the production of agricultural parks has reached 80,000 tons, however, considering the output from the subsidiary companies the total production would exceed 183,000 tons,” Mansouri said.

EF/MA