According to Mahmoud Bazari, director of the Exports Bureau of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran, fruits and vegetables accounted for 22% of Iran's total exports of agrifood products ($5.8 billion) during the period under review.
He added that the outbreak of Covid-19 has slowed down Iran’s fruits and vegetable exports and exports are predicted to experience a considerable decline this year, TPO reported on its website.
Iran exported 7.1 million tons of agricultural and food products worth over $5.82 billion in the last fiscal year to register a 2.34% rise in tonnage and an 8.93% decline in value compared to the year before, the Agriculture Ministry reported.
In-shell pistachio (fresh and dried) topped the list of exports in terms of value, as the country exported $724.2 million worth of the nut during the period.
Apple was the second major exported agricultural product in terms of value with $362.27 million followed by tomatoes with $259.21 million, unshelled pistachios with $240.58 million and watermelon with $175.97 million.
In term of tonnage, watermelons topped the list with 748,090 tons, followed by apples with 740,220 tons, tomatoes with 572,940 tons, potatoes with 480,440 tons, and onions and shallots with 394,990 tons.
Horticultural products accounted for 1.95 million tons worth $2.72 billion of total exports, up 30.03% and 19.72% in tonnage and value respectively year-on-year. Exports of agronomical products stood at 4.41 million tons worth $2.09 billion, down 5.2% and 20.42% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.
Exports of livestock and poultry products stood at 586,400 tons worth $718.87 million, down 7.01% and 34.05% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.
The fisheries sector exported 126,590 tons worth $249.3 million, up 4.58% in tonnage and down 25.21% in value YOY.
Exports from the forest and rangeland sector hit 19,080 tons worth $31.2 million, down 29.45% and 46.19% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.
Exports from the veterinary sector amounted to 350 tons worth $2.31 million, up 16.23% in tonnage and down 27.68% in value YOY.
Imports during the same period under review stood at 24.67 million tons worth $12.58 billion, indicating a 20.5% and 17.46% increase in tonnage and value respectively year-on-year.
Field corn had the biggest share in total imports in terms of value with $2.17 billion, followed by semi-polished and polished rice with $1.68 billion, barley with $1 billion, oilcake with $950.42 million and soybean with $905.43 million.
In terms of tonnage, field corn topped imports with 8.91 million tons, followed by barley with 4 million tons, soy oilcake with 2.19 million tons, soybean with 2.08 million tons, and unrefined sugar with 1.81 million tons.
Agronomical products accounted for 23.02 million tons worth $9.56 billion of total imports, up 20.91% and 19.2% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.
Horticultural products stood at 1.27 million tons worth $1.42 billion, up 14.04% and 10.32% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.
Imports of livestock and poultry products hit 311,810 tons worth $1.39 billion, up 17.58% and 13.07% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.
The veterinary sector imported 1,270 tons worth $79.01 million, up 2.05% and 6.22% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.
Imports by the fisheries sector amounted to 26,540 tons worth $71.82 million, up 12.04% and 22.18% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.
Imports from the forest and rangeland sector totaled 34,950 tons worth $54.68 million, up 37.37% and 52.5% in tonnage and value respectively YOY.
The export and import volumes suggest that Iran recorded a trade deficit of 17.57 million tons in tonnage and $6.76 billion in value during the year in review.
The novel coronavirus has caused 39,500 billion rials ($240 million) in losses to agrifood consumption and export sectors, a recent report by the research arm of the Iranian Parliament showed.