TEHRAN – Iran's greenhouse farming sector has expanded by 161 percent over the past ten years, according to the head of the Statistical Center of Iran, who emphasized the importance of utilizing the results of the country’s 2024 agricultural census to enhance food security.

Gholamreza Goudarzi, speaking at a meeting on Monday, highlighted the extensive cooperation between governmental and military institutions in conducting the national agricultural census. “All relevant organizations, particularly the media, played a crucial role in ensuring that farmers were informed about the census," he said, noting that the judiciary, parliament, provincial governments, and various ministries actively supported the initiative.

Goudarzi stated that cross-referencing data from different systems helped verify the accuracy of the collected information. He also pointed to the collaboration with knowledge-based companies and the use of aerial mapping to improve data precision.

“We hope the extracted data will be valuable to relevant agencies,” he said, adding that President Masoud Pezeshkian recently stressed the importance of utilizing the census results to strengthen food security.

According to the findings, the number of greenhouse farming operations has surged by 161 percent over the past decade, reaching more than 36,000 producers.

The total area of arable land in Iran now stands at 15 million hectares, reflecting a five percent increase. Of this, wheat cultivation covers 8.4 million hectares, barley 1.6 million hectares, and rice 491,000 hectares.

Additionally, orchards span approximately two million hectares, marking a nine percent expansion compared to recent years. However, the total orchard area has slightly decreased compared to 2014.

Despite a decline in the number of agricultural producers, the average number of both small and large livestock has increased, according to the census results.

Goudarzi also noted that Iran currently has four million agricultural operators, 11 percent of whom are based in urban areas.

EF/