ID :
105761
Wed, 02/10/2010 - 13:29
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/105761
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Iran seeks stable crop production: official
TEHRAN, Feb. 9 (MNA) -- Iran seeks a stable crop production despite the fact that agriculture in Iran is largely dependent on rain, an official with Agriculture Jihad Ministry said on Tuesday.
“We want to stay on the peak for production of strategic crops,” Deputy Agriculture Jihad Minister Mohammad Reza Jahansouz told a press conference in Tehran. “We want stability in production (of crops) with regard to (Iran’s volatile) climatic condition.”
He also said over the last 31 years that Iran’s population has increased from 36 million to 72 million the annual agricultural output has increased from 20 million tons to more than 100 million tons.
Jahansouz said one can hardly find a country like Iran in the world that has been able to increase crops up to five times in such a time period.
Efficient use of water
The Agriculture Jihad Ministry is taking steps toward an efficient use of water in agriculture, the official noted.
Jahansouz said although precipitation in Iran is around one third of the world average but vaporization is three times more than international levels, so the country has no choice but to increase efficiency in water use.
He also said energy saving and production of healthy foods by observing standards in using fertilizers and chemicals is another priority of the ministry.
"Iran has great potentials to reach self-sufficiency in production - and even export - of citrus fruits," he said, adding that the ministry has started cultivating bananas on 10,000 hectares area of land.
Currently, as much as 2.7 million hectares area of land is under cultivation of fruits, producing about 16 million ton of crops, including 2.4 million tons of orange.
Iran ranks the first in production of fruits in the Middle East and the eighth in the world.
Iran has also taken steps to reach self-sufficiency in production of rice and cooking oil as anticipated in the fifth socio-economic development plan (2010-2015).
Medicinal herb
According to the ministry officials now about 30,000 hectares of land is also under cultivation of medicinal herb which will expand in the future.
Tissue culture
Iran has also started production of crops through tissue culture technology.
Akbar Loui, a ministry official, told reporters that Iran is the only country in the world that has started the production of ten kinds of date through tissue culture with the cooperation of the private sector.
The country also started production of potato seeds through mini-tuber method and sugar beet seeds through mono-germ method.
“We want to stay on the peak for production of strategic crops,” Deputy Agriculture Jihad Minister Mohammad Reza Jahansouz told a press conference in Tehran. “We want stability in production (of crops) with regard to (Iran’s volatile) climatic condition.”
He also said over the last 31 years that Iran’s population has increased from 36 million to 72 million the annual agricultural output has increased from 20 million tons to more than 100 million tons.
Jahansouz said one can hardly find a country like Iran in the world that has been able to increase crops up to five times in such a time period.
Efficient use of water
The Agriculture Jihad Ministry is taking steps toward an efficient use of water in agriculture, the official noted.
Jahansouz said although precipitation in Iran is around one third of the world average but vaporization is three times more than international levels, so the country has no choice but to increase efficiency in water use.
He also said energy saving and production of healthy foods by observing standards in using fertilizers and chemicals is another priority of the ministry.
"Iran has great potentials to reach self-sufficiency in production - and even export - of citrus fruits," he said, adding that the ministry has started cultivating bananas on 10,000 hectares area of land.
Currently, as much as 2.7 million hectares area of land is under cultivation of fruits, producing about 16 million ton of crops, including 2.4 million tons of orange.
Iran ranks the first in production of fruits in the Middle East and the eighth in the world.
Iran has also taken steps to reach self-sufficiency in production of rice and cooking oil as anticipated in the fifth socio-economic development plan (2010-2015).
Medicinal herb
According to the ministry officials now about 30,000 hectares of land is also under cultivation of medicinal herb which will expand in the future.
Tissue culture
Iran has also started production of crops through tissue culture technology.
Akbar Loui, a ministry official, told reporters that Iran is the only country in the world that has started the production of ten kinds of date through tissue culture with the cooperation of the private sector.
The country also started production of potato seeds through mini-tuber method and sugar beet seeds through mono-germ method.
