Beijing:

Beijing

Tehran:

Tehran

Iran second largest producer of dates in world: official

TEHRAN, Aug. 18 (MNA) – The chairman of the National Date Association of Iran said that Iran, after Egypt, is the second largest producer of dates in the world, announcing that the country stands at the first rank in terms of variety of dates.

Mohsen Rashid Farrokhi stated that 1.350 million tons of fresh dates are produced annually in the country on average.

He put the per capita consumption of the dates in the country at 7.5 kg.

Of total dates produced annually in the country, 70 percent of which is consumed in the country while the remaining 30 percent is exported overseas, Rashid Farrokhi added.

The chairman put the current foreign-exchange yielding of the dates in the country at about $350 million, adding that this figure can increase up to $500 million.

Islamic Republic of Iran, after Egypt, is the second largest producer of the fresh dates in the worldwide, he added.

SOURCE: MEHR NEWS AGENCY