Iran's agricultural sector is flourishing, with exports of food and agricultural products experiencing a significant jump in the first three months (March 20-June 20) of the current Iranian calendar year.

 

According to the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), the value of these exports soared by 29.8% compared to the same period last year. The weight of exported agricultural products also saw a substantial increase of roughly 24%.

 

This positive trend is further bolstered by data for the period ending May 20. Iran exported 1.56 million tons of agricultural products valued at $684 million during this timeframe, reflecting a 28% year-on-year growth in value.

 

Fruits topped the list of exported agricultural goods, with apples ($96.3 million), in-shell pistachios ($74.1 million), watermelons ($73.8 million), field tomatoes ($50.3 million), and greenhouse tomatoes ($44.7 million) leading the pack.

 

While agricultural products account for a relatively smaller share (6.66%) of Iran's total export weight, they hold a higher significance in terms of value, contributing 8.53% to the overall export value.

 

This growth follows a trend of expansion in the previous Iranian year (ending March 19, 2024). The value of Iran's agricultural and food exports increased by 22.5% during that period, with Iranian producers exporting a total of $6.3 billion worth of these goods. Notably, agro-food products made up 12.8% of Iran's total non-oil exports.

 

Iraq emerged as the leading destination for Iranian agricultural exports, importing $1.986 billion worth of products, which translates to 31.5% of Iran's total agro-food exports. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Russia followed closely behind as key import markets.