Iran expects to export over $2bln of food products to other countries to the end of the current Iranian year (ending March 20), an Iranian trade official announced.

Last year, exports of food products earned the country $1.5 billion and the figure is predicted to top $two billion this year, Director General of the Trade Department at Iran Trade Promotion Organization Mehrdad Jalalipour said, addressing a group of officials in charge of agriculture that the exports were destined to countries in five continents of the world.

Revenues from agricultural products exports hit $2.3 billion in the first eight months of the year, showing a growth of 12 percent compared to the figure for the same period the previous year, he said

In relevant remarks earlier this month, Iranian Deputy Agricultural Jihad Minister Jahangir Pourhemmat announced that the export of agricultural products has increased by 15 percent during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 21-December 20) compared to the same period in 2011.

"Export of farming products has increased 15% compared to the previous year, while the agricultural exports are still on the increase on a daily basis," Pourhemmat said.

"Over 95% of Iran's needed products are produced inside the country which is highly important for the country's political independence," he added.
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News ID 184052