Akbar Ahangaran added that the measure has been taken to prevent the export of unripe kiwis as this will stain the reputation of Iranian kiwis in export markets, IRNA reported on Monday.
The ban, he added, has nothing to do with quarantine issues and is aimed at maintaining the quality of exports.
The best time for kiwi harvest in Iran is late October when the fruit is juicy enough and has enough sugar to be suitable for consumption, according to Financial Tribune.
Mohammad Reza Shabani, the head of Mazandaran Province’s Orchard Owners Union, told Mehr News Agency that profiteers tend to buy kiwis from farmers three months ahead of the harvest season and sell them unripe.
“By selling unripe and low quality kiwis, we will lose our export destinations. This is while kiwis produced in Iran are among the world’s best,” he said.
Iran produces about 300,000 tons of kiwis every year, with Mazandaran accounting for close to 200,000 tons of the total volume.
Exports of kiwi stood at 28,428 tons worth $15.75 million during the first four months of the current fiscal year (March 21-July 22), data released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration show.
Russia, Iraq, India, Oman and Turkey were the main customers of Iranian kiwis during the period.