August 28, 2024
Iran sees significant growth in fishery exports and industry advancements
Iran's fishery exports reached 68,000 tonnes, valued at US$138 million, during the first five months of this year, marking a 32% increase compared to the same period last year, according to a report by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), Tehran Times reported.
This rise follows a trend highlighted by Abbas Mokhtari, Director General of the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture's Office of Quality Improvement, Processing, and Aquatic Market. Mokhtari reported that during the first quarter of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-June 20), fishery exports totalled 73,369 tonnes, valued at US$121.4 million. This reflects a notable increase from the 52,282 tonnes, valued at US$93.1 million, exported during the same period last year.
IRICA also reported that in the previous Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 19, fishery exports exceeded US$310 million, representing a 3% increase in value and a 12% rise in weight, reaching 149,000 metric tonnes.
Shrimp exports alone contributed US$98.5 million, accounting for 32% of the total fishery export value. The primary markets for Iran's shrimp included Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and China, though exports to these destinations saw a 26% decrease in value compared to the previous year.
Fisheries currently account for less than 70% of Iran's total exports, with the UAE, China, Russia, and Iraq being the largest buyers of Iranian fishery products. In the same period, Iran imported 24,000 metric tonnes of fishery products worth US$72 million, reflecting a 121% increase in weight and a 113% rise in value.
Looking ahead, the Head of Shrimp and Marine Aquatic Affairs of the IFO, Ghobad Mokarami, announced that Iran's fishery production is expected to reach 206,000 tonnes within the next two years. Mokarami noted that doubling the number of breeding pools could lead to this significant increase in production.
In April, a cooperation agreement was signed between 12 companies and industry stakeholders to create a value chain for caged fish farming in the Caspian Sea region in northern Iran. The agreement involves companies and groups with expertise in various aspects of the industry, including egg production, fish nurseries, farm management, and the export and trading of products. The goal is to produce 1,500 tonnes of fish using advanced technologies and to accelerate the development of the cage fish farming industry in Iran's northern waters.
Among the key projects identified for this value chain are the completion of technological equipment for caged fish farms, the optimisation of intermediate farms, and the creation of a production line for value-added products from fish waste. Other initiatives include the production of fishmeal, the development of specialised feed production lines, and the improvement of farmed fish health through reduced antibiotic use.
- Tehran Times
