August 14, 2006

Iran intends to double area under shrimp cultivation

Iran may more than double areas under shrimp production in its southern region from 2,500 hectares to about 7,000 hectares next year, Iran's fishery chief said on Saturday (Aug 12).

Shrimp production from the country's southern farms is expected to reach 7,000 tonnes by next March.

Iran is hoping that production would hit its intended target with the cooperation of private companies, Shabanali Nezami, deputy minister of agriculture jihad and head of Iran Fishery Organisation said.

Iran exports shrimps to the EU. At least 95 percent of the country's shrimp production is exported, as Iran has a very low per capita shrimp consumption of just    0.1 gramme a year, according to analysts.

This figure needs to rise to 200 grammes a year in Iran, where the industry should triple production, if the people were to consume more shrimps, Nezami said.

Shrimp exports stood at 2,800 tonnes in the year to March 2006, when production plummeted as diseases wiped out shrimp populations in many farms.

Iran's seafood production, currently at 400,000 tonnes a year, would have to increase to 700,000 tonnes by the closing year of the country's Fourth Plan (2005-2010).