In the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-August 22), shrimp exports of Iran experienced a remarkable 48% increase in value compared to the same period last year.
According to Abbas Mokhtari, the director general of the Agriculture Ministry’s Office of Quality Improvement, Processing, and Aquatic Market Development, Iran exports 11,104 tons of shrimp, amounting to $37.6 million in revenue, marking a substantial 46% increase in terms of weight.
Notably, the overall fisheries export sector in Iran also saw significant growth, with a 32% increase in the same five-month timeframe, compared to the previous year. During this period, more than 83,000 tons of fisheries and aquaculture products were exported, generating $140 million in revenue and witnessing a 32% surge in weight.
Iran’s aquaculture industry has been making impressive strides and is globally recognized for its achievements in producing various fishery products. The head of the Iran Fisheries Organization (IFO), Hossein Hosseini, revealed that in the previous Iranian calendar year 1401, the country successfully exported fishery products worth $600 million, boasting a positive trade balance of $520 million. Furthermore, he highlighted the potential for the country’s fishery industry to expand its exports to reach up to $2 billion.
Iran’s aquaculture sector has reached a level of development that has garnered international attention, positioning the country as a role model for the region and the world. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) acknowledges Iran’s responsible and central role in the fishing and aquaculture industry within the region, making it a benchmark for neighboring countries.
Iran is now setting its sights on global markets for the export of its fishery products, leading to a remarkable 67% increase in fishery exports in the Iranian calendar year 1400 compared to the previous year.
In addition to the operational efforts of the IFO, the research and knowledge-based activities in the fishery sector play a pivotal role in the industry’s success. The influx of young specialists and knowledge-based experts across various facets of the fishery industry has rendered international sanctions ineffective, contributing to Iran’s remarkable achievements in aquaculture.
