TEHRAN - The second festival of agricultural products, meat and seafood as well as handicrafts kicked off in Tehran on Wednesday.

The organizer of the temporary farmers market, Betka, Iran Agricultural Cooperative Trading Company in partnership with the Central Organization for Rural Cooperatives of Iran (CORC), has provided some 200 booths for rural producers to directly market their goods at lower costs to the benefit of consumers. 

In a press briefing on Wednesday, the director of CORC Hossein Safaei said that the 12-day festival offers a variety of goods to consumers from agricultural products to meat and nuts, as well as handicrafts made by rural and tribal women, and also seafood cooking classes.

Safaei expressed hope that the market will encourage Iranians to introduce more seafood in their diet particularly in cold season as fresher fish becomes more available in Tehran. 

The festival especially aims to help meet consumer demands on the occasion of Yalda Night, December 20th, one of the most celebrated traditional events in Iran which marks the longest night of the year. 

Every year, Iranians celebrate the arrival of winter, the renewal of the sun and the victory of light over darkness on Yalda Night.

The second festival of agricultural products, meat and seafood is open to the public till December 26 from 10:00-21:00 in Tehranpars, eastern Tehran.