TEHRAN – Managing Director of Iran’s Agricultural Parks Company (APC) says more than 80,000 tons of agricultural products have been produced in the country’s agricultural parks since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019).

“This year, the production of agricultural parks has reached 80,000 tons, however, considering the output from the subsidiary companies the total production would exceed 183,000 tons,” IRIB reported, quoting Ali-Ashraf Mansouri as saying.

Mansouri said: “as an influential company in providing food security, APC is committed to ensuring productive prosperity, sustainable employment, protecting water and soil resources, improving exports, utilizing the country's resources and facilities as well as attracting investment in order for agricultural development in the country.”

“The company could play a significant role in reducing the impact of U.S. sanctions by expanding agricultural parks in various fields like greenhouses, fishery and aquatic,” he added.

He further mentioned some of the problems that the country’s agriculture is facing and said: “Reducing the impacts of droughts caused by reduced rainfall in recent years and increasing efficiency of water consumption in agriculture are among the top programs followed by APC.”

The official went on mentioning some of the services and facilities which APC is providing for investors in this area, including providing banking facilities, issuing licenses in the shortest possible time, eliminating redundant bureaucracies, securing land with the possibility of granting of ownership after exploitation, reducing infrastructure costs in settlements, and finally providing specialized training and investment services to investors.

According to Mansouri, more than 78 trillion rials (about $186 million) of bank loans have been provided for investors in this area, since the beginning of the current year.

Currently, more than 87 agricultural parks are under construction across Iran, the official said.

EF/MA