TEHRAN- The annual production of sugar beet anticipated to rise 50 percent in the current crop year (late September 2020-mid-August 2021), according to an official with the Agriculture Ministry.

Peyman Hesadi, the operator of the sugar beet plan of the ministry, announced a significant increase in the area under the sugar beet cultivation in the current crop year, according to which, the amount of sugar beet production will increase by at least 50 percent, compared to the previous crop year.

In September, the Advisor to the Agriculture Minister Saeed Saadat had said that the Agriculture Ministry was going to implement the first phase of a program called “Cultivation Pattern” to improve the country’s agricultural output in the new crop year in the country.

With the implementation of this program, an important part of the farmers’ and producers’ problems, including unplanned and excess cultivation will be eliminated, Saadat stated.

Referring to the importance of food security in the country, he said: “Ensuring 90 percent of the country’s food security is the responsibility of the Agriculture Ministry."

Pointing out that about 125 million tons of agricultural products were produced in the country last year, Saadat said 80 percent of the country's food is produced in the agricultural sector.

Noting that due to the limited water resources and the dryness of most parts of the country, the efficiency in the agricultural sector should be increased, the official explained, “The efficiency in the agricultural sector has increased from 920 grams per cubic meter to 1,450 grams per cubic meter since [the Iranian calendar year] 1392 (March 2013-March 2014). Also, during this period, irrigation efficiency has increased from 39 percent to 45 percent.”

Emphasizing that increasing the quality of food should be a priority, Saadat said: "The quality of the country's products is currently desirable.”

MA/MA