Khuzestan – The sour lime harvest has officially begun across 1,300 hectares of orchards in Iran's southern Khuzestan province, with authorities projecting over 20,000 tons of produce to hit domestic and international markets this season.

 

Roghayeh Soltani, head of horticulture at the provincial agriculture department, confirmed that picking started in August and will run through late November. She described sour lime as one of the province's earliest citrus crops, benefiting from Khuzestan's favorable growing conditions.

 

“Dezful district leads production by a wide margin, accounting for 65% of the total cultivated area, Soltani said. Other key lime-producing counties include Shush, Behbahan, Andimeshk, Gotvand, and Baghmalek.”

 

The official also highlighted varietal diversity in the province's orchards, noting that farmers cultivate a mix of local varieties alongside Persian lime, Meyer, and Lisbon, all of which perform well under the region's climate and deliver robust yields.

 

With the harvest now in full swing, exporters are expected to move significant volumes to regional buyers, capitalizing on Iran's early-season citrus window, she said.