A senior official from Iran’s Fisheries Organization said on Sunday that the country’s farmed shrimp production will reach 50,000 tonnes (metric tons) this year, exceeding the 40,000 tonnes reported for the 2024 harvest season.
Muherdad Mohammadi Doost said that Iran’s shrimp farming area has expanded to more than 16,000 hectares this year, adding that Hormozgan and Bushehr provinces in the south and Golestan province in the north are the main sources of shrimp in the country.
In Iran, increased exports are prompting more farmers to expand aquaculture projects, leading to a major boom in activity in the fishing sector.
Most of Iran’s shrimp production is exported, providing a good source of foreign exchange for the country as it seeks to diversify its economy from oil revenues.
In recent years, China has been responsible for more than 50% of shrimp purchases from Iran, but other major export destinations include Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman.
According to government statistics, Iran’s total seafood exports amount to 300,000 tons per year, worth $700 million annually.
MNA/Press TV