EghtesadOnline: About 122,000 hectares of farmlands in Iran have been equipped with modern irrigation systems since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2017), the chairman of the Modern Irrigation Systems Project undertaken by the Agriculture Ministry said.

EghtesadOnline: Modern irrigation systems have been installed over nearly 85,900 hectares of farmland in Iran during the seven months to Oct. 22, registering a 170% hike compared with the corresponding period of last year, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture said.

EghtesadOnline: As cultivation methods become more efficient with the modernization of irrigation systems in Iran, there has been a 37% reduction in water used in watermelon production.

EghtesadOnline: Minister of Agriculture Mahmoud Hojjati said the government will cover 85% of the expenses involved in modernization of irrigation systems in farms and orchards across the country in the form of subsidies.

EghtesadOnline: The government has considered close to 33 trillion rials ($865.5 million) in budget to modernize irrigation systems in Iran’s farms and orchards in the current fiscal year (started March 21), of which 5 trillion rials ($131.1 million) have been allocated so far, Deputy Agriculture Minister Ali Morad Akbari said on Monday.

EghtesadOnline: Irrigation efficiency in Iran has increased from 35% 10 years ago to 45% presently, the head of Soil and Water Research Institute affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture said.