Deputy minister outlines plan to expand agricultural
capacities in Iran Makran Coast

Iran’s deputy agriculture minister said the government is
seriously pursuing effective measures for the development of the southern
Makran Coast, exploring investment opportunities in a wide range of sectors,
including seafood and agriculture.

In a meeting held via video conference in Tehran on Monday,
Hossein Hosseini referred to an approved governmental plan for the development
of the southern Makran Coast, saying guidelines have been laid down to achieve
sustainable development of the region and benefit its indigenous people while
lowering social and environmental damage, as the area boasts a wide range of
investment opportunities.

“The development capacities of the Coast in the sectors of
agriculture, fishery products, farming, horticulture and tropical fruits,
livestock, beef cattle, sheep, poultries, and natural resources and watershed
management [to control water and soil erosion] need attention,” he said.

There are plans underway to establish agricultural, fishery,
livestock and horticultural towns in the southern cost, Hosseini, who doubles
the head of Iran’s Fishery Organization, added.

“Fishing ports as well as cage culture fish and shrimp
farming system will be set up and launched across the coast,” Hosseini said.

The deputy minister said that the strategic development plan
will create over 300,000 jobs within five years.

Makran is a semi-desert coastal strip stretched along
southeastern Iran to Pakistan’s Balochistan and borders the coastlines of
Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. The Iranian part of Makran Coast borders two
southern provinces of Hormozgan and Sistan-Baluchestan.