TEHRAN- The chairman of Iran’s Warm-Water Fishes Breeding Companies Union announced that farming 200,000 tons of such fishes has been planned.

Ali Elviri also warned that the summer heat has affected the condition of warm-water fishes and reduces the production process of these fishes.

“Due to the high temperature of the water in the hot months of the year, we see the accumulation of ammonia gas on the bottom of the ponds of the warm water fish breeding farms, and it brings problems for the producers”, he explained.

As announced by the director general of the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture’s Office of Quality Improvement, Processing, and Aquatic Market, the value of Iran’s fish export stood at $53.3 million during the first quarter of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-June 20).

Abbas Mokhtari said that the country exported 29,582 tons of fishes in the first quarter of this year, while the figure was 18,301 tons worth $30.6 million in the same time span of the past year.

According to the official, the value of Iran’s fishery export increased by over 30 percent during the first quarter of this Iranian calendar year, as compared to the same period of time in the past year.

Mokhtari said that the country exported 73,369 tons of fishery valued at $121.4 million in the first quarter of this year, while the figure was 52,282 tons worth $93.1 million in the same time span of the past year.

The official also announced that the quarterly fishery export indicates over 40 percent rise in terms of weight year on year.

MA