Eskandar Zand, Head of the Agricultural Research Organization, made the remarks at an IRIB program explaining that Ministry of Agriculture was seeking to promote knowledge-based activities.
“Iran has obtained notable achievements in the field of agricultural production as indicated by the rise in output levels from 97 to 118 million tons as well as realization of 80% of self-sufficiency in the production sector,” he underlined.
The official stressed that, in bid to increase productivity in various arenas, efforts were being made to develop research and education activities.
Zand went on to emphasize that the production chain in agriculture could be further developed as well as that for the post-production phase, investments needed to be made for creation and strengthening necessary infrastructure in the field.
Head of the Agricultural Research Organization later enumerated required infrastructures including strengthening of transportation system, cold stores, markets as well as agriculture production cooperatives; “the Iranian Ministry is also after strengthening post-production phases.”
“Post-production issues have always been one of the most complex arenas which are controlled by farmers and unions all over the world since any post-production profit forms part of farmers’ income,” he underlined.
Zand emphasized that exports of several Iranian agricultural products could further increase though success was subject to amount of demand.
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