Under Pressure Irrigation Expanding

EgtesadOnline: More than 2 million hectares of farmlands are now equipped with under pressure irrigation systems in Iran, more than 30% of which were implemented since the beginning of President Hassan Rouhani’s first tenure in August 2013, the deputy agriculture minister for water and soil affairs said.

News ID: ۷۸۳۸۹۰

03 September 2018

“These modern irrigation systems have been installed across 57,000 hectares of farmland since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21). Plans are to add 133,000 hectares of land equipped with under pressure irrigation systems by the [current fiscal] yearend (March 20, 2019),” Ali Morad Akbari was also quoted as saying by IRNA.

According to Hamidreza Janbaz, Akbari’s advisor, there are 8.5 million hectares of irrigated farmlands and orchards across Iran, 4.5 million hectares of which meet the conditions to be equipped with modern irrigation systems.

Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati says the government will cover 85% of expenses involved in the modernization of irrigation systems in farms and orchards in the form of subsidies, according to Financial Tribune.

“Unlimited banking facilities will be granted to farmers in this regard,” he said.

Iran is suffering from an acute shortage of water.