Iran Planning to Harvest Over 150,000 Tons of Olives in 1 Year

“In the year 1402 in the Iranian calendar (March 21-2023-24), about 88,000 tons of olive and 6,000 tons of olive oil were produced in the country,” Mir Arab said. 

“Currently, the size of the country's olive orchard lands is 75,000 hectares, and despite the climate change all over the world, due to the special characteristics of the olive tree in terms of ecology and growth conditions, if the necessary infrastructure is provided for the development of the lands, it is possible to increase production and supply a portion of oil needed in the country and replace the imported oil with domestically-produced products,” he said.

He also said that the agriculture ministry has planned to replace a portion of cooking oil in the country with domestically produced olive oil, adding, “Appropriate use of the potential and capabilities of knowledge-based companies, irrigation systems, fighting against pests and diseases, and treatment of waste water are important and key issues in achieving the goal of boosting olive cultivation in the country.”

The use of new technologies in olive cultivation, the development of mechanization in the orchard improvement sub-project, the necessary planning regarding tree nutrition, pruning, rejuvenation and grafting are some other important factors playing a part in increasing olive production in the country, Mir Arab further said.

“According to a piece of legislation approved in the Iranian parliament regarding the annual development of 20,000 hectares of olive orchards, if the necessary conditions are provided, including the provision of basic inputs such as seedlings, the necessary planning for the olive development will be made,” the olive program executive director went on to say. 

The agriculture ministry’s goal in the first year of the program is to develop 20,000 hectares of olive orchards with priority to oil varieties and improve 9,880 hectares of existing orchards, he further noted.

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