TEHRAN- More than $900 million of fisheries and fish products was exported from Iran during the past Iranian calendar year (which ended on March 20), according to Hassan Salehi, the head of Iran’s Fisheries Organization.

As he further explained during the said period Iran exported above $412 million of fisheries and over $500 million of fish products.

At the present time, Iran produces 1.07 million tons of fisheries per annum, Salehi added.

The country plans to increase the value of its fishery exports up to $450-$500 million by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2018), Mehr news agency quotes Salehi as saying in early May.

After the implementation of nuclear deal with world powers in January 2016, Iranian government has focused on development of domestic fishery industry to attract foreign investments and increase the country's share of the international market, Salehi had stated in early February.

In this due, related negotiations have been done with some foreign countries such as France, Romania, Finland, Italy, China, Vietnam, Russia, and Thailand, he added.

According to Isa Golshahi, Iran Fisheries Organization's director general for quality improvement, processing, and market development, the country exported some 600 tons of such products to Russia during the first three months of 2017. The figure equals Iran’s total fishery exports to Russia during 2016.

HJ/MA