TEHRAN: Iran exported 3.805 million tons of agricultural products in the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-November 20, 2016), a 25.22 percent rise year on year, IRIB reported on Saturday. According to Abdolmahdi Bakhshandeh, the Iranian deputy agriculture minister for planning and economic affairs, the agricultural exports also experienced a 4.15 percent rise in value and stood at $3.532 billion in the mentioned period. “Agricultural products accounted for 4.65 percent of the country’s total non-oil exports in terms of weight and also 12.58 percent of the exports in terms of value,” Bakhshandeh said.
Meanwhile, agricultural imports decreased by 4.98 percent and 3.18 percent in terms of weight and value respectively, he noted. Although trade balance is still $2.16 billion negative in this sector but it has improved by $327.8 million compared to the same period last year, he explained. Pistachio and tomato paste were the main items exported with estimated values of $604 million and $130 million respectively, while corn and soy beans were the main items imported with estimated values of $874 million and $593 million respectively.
