TEHRAN- The area under greenhouse farming will be doubled in Ardebil province, in the northwest of Iran, in two years, according to a provincial official.

Khalil Nikshad, the head of the province’s Agriculture Department, also said that the greenhouse area in the province is anticipated to reach 350 hectares by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2022).

He further announced that permits have been issued for the establishment of 70 greenhouses in the province.

Due to the water shortage and drought crisis in different parts of the province and the 80-percent decrease in rainfall in recent months, it is necessary to develop greenhouses in the province, the official noted.

In the last four years, the development of greenhouses has taken a growing trend, so that 15 hectares of active greenhouses has now reached more than 115 hectares, the head of the province’s Agriculture Department underlined.

While the agriculture sector plays a significant role in the promotion of the Iranian economy, drought in recent years has prevented this sector from being developed as expected.

To tackle this condition, the Agriculture Ministry has taken some measures and defined some programs, such as the improvement of irrigation systems.

One of the major programs that the ministry has defined and is seriously pursuing is the development of greenhouses throughout the country.

As reported, 80 percent of the country’s greenhouse fruits and vegetables are exported.

The significance of boosting agricultural export is obvious when taking the country’s recent approach to boost non-oil exports into account. The development of greenhouses is a very fruitful measure in this due.

Production of products in the greenhouses is today one of the most profitable methods in the agriculture sectors of the countries, in a way that they have defined it as one of their major production strategies because while greenhouses provide stable production of high-quality products, developing them is a proper way for tackling drought and for optimal use of water resources.

In Iran, the need for the development of greenhouses is now highly recognized, as the country is seriously following up on two main objectives of strengthening domestic production to achieve self-reliance, and boosting non-oil exports.

While many supportive measures are being taken to this end, Iran should also benefit from the experiences of those countries that enjoy significant achievements and progresses in the field of greenhouses.

MA/MA