Bushehr - Iran has launched a three-hectare aloe vera pilot project in Bushehr Province to rehabilitate low-productivity farmland, conserve water and promote sustainable agriculture in arid regions.

 

Fatemeh Gholamian, a researcher at the Bushehr Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, said the project in Chah-Gachi, Jam county, uses drip irrigation to improve water efficiency.

 

She said aloe vera is a drought-tolerant plant that can thrive in hot, dry climates and grow in sandy loam and saline soils, making it a promising option for marginal farmland. Research indicates the plant can tolerate irrigation at 50 percent of its estimated water requirements.

 

Aloe vera gel is used in beverages, powders, capsules, skincare products and cosmetics, offering opportunities to generate greater value from agricultural production, Gholamian said.

 

According to the Bushehr Agricultural Organization, two processing facilities in Dashtestan and Kangan had a combined output capacity of 6,000 tonnes and could procure 10,000 tonnes of raw material, based on 2020 figures.

 

However, much of the province's aloe vera harvest is still shipped as fresh leaves to other provinces. Expanding local processing could increase value added and open up export opportunities in Gulf Arab states, Iraq and Türkiye, Gholamian said