iran agro

According to the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database, Iran imported animal feedstuff, agricultural machinery and equipment, livestock, fertilizers and insecticides worth 2.309 billion US$ in 2010.

The sheer volume of agricultural imports underlines the importance of iran agro 2012, the 19th International Agricultural Trade Fair. 

With a population of 75.4 million inhabitants and with an expected GDP of 420,9 billion USD in 2011 Iran is an ever growing market.

Exporters of agricultural machinery and animal husbandry products during the past few years always use to make good business in Iran, now being one of the most important markets for major international players with interest in the region. According to  VDMA – The German Engineering Association, exports of agricultural engineering products to Iran have increased by 56% to US $ 106.3 million in 2010, compared to US $ 67.9 million in 2009 and US $ 62.6 million in 2008.  China, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Brazil have been the main supplier countries.

In order to develop the Iranian processing industry, fisheries, greenhouses and water and soil resources, about 2 billion US dollars will be made available to the agricultural sector from the Iranian Development Fund, announced agricultural jihad minister Sadeq Khalilian, according to Iran Daily of 3 September 2011. The minister added, that agricultural production in the last Iranian year (ended March 20) reached about 107 million tons indicating a growth of 15 percent compared to the figure for the previous year.

The minister referred to expanding of production chains, mechanization and renovation of agro infrastructures as the main policies of the ministry. "About 700 million US dollars in soft loans will be made available to various agricultural units, of which 52 percent have been absorbed so far," he said. “250 million US dollars have been allocated to the livestock breeding sector, and 1.13 billion US dollars have been earmarked for the Agricultural Jihad Ministry to optimize the use of water, of which 450 million US dollars have been paid by the Treasury so far.”

Iranian imports of livestock as well are increasing year by year. Within 2 years for instance, between 2005/06 and 2007/08, imports of livestock increased by 117 %, from US$ 212.3 million to US$ 460.8 million. During the same period, Iranian livestock exports as well went up by 25 % from US$ 305.8 million to US$ 382.2 million

According to Payvand Iran News of 05 April 2011, “the volume of Iran's agricultural products set a new record high in the past Iranian year (ended on March 20, 2011) and reached to 107 million tons, the Iranian agricultural jihad minster announced. IRIB quoted Sadeq Khalilian as predicting that the country's agricultural output would surpass 118 million tons in the current year, which will be a significant growth in this key sector of the Iranian economy. (…) The minister remarked that Iran exported more than 5.1 billion dollars worth of processed and non-processed crops in last year. The diversity of climate in Iran has provided a good potentiality for producing varieties of agricultural products. Iran now is the largest producer of some crops such as pistachio, caviar and saffron, according to FAO statistics.”

Taking these upward trends into account, it comes to no surprise that iran agro 2012 is on the upswing. The event will be held under the auspices of the Iranian ministry of jihad – agriculture and the ministry of industry, mine and trade.

To create valuable synergies for exhibitors and trade visitors alike, iran agro 2012 takes place concurrently with iran food + hospitality (473 exhibitors from 20 countries in 2011) and iran food + bev tec (328 exhibitors from 22 countries), the three dedicated events building the frame of “iran agrofood 2012” with altogether 923 exhibitors (+12.% in 2011 compared to 2010).

122 exhibitors (+47%) from 7 countries displayed their state-of-the art technologies

At iran agro 2011, 31,831 visitors discussed business with 122 exhibitors from 7 countries, a plus of 47% compared to 2010.

The 18th International Agricultural Trade Fair was organised against the backdrop of rising imports of agricultural engineering products and was held under the auspices of the Iranian ministry of jihad – agriculture and the ministry of industries and mines, organised by Palar Samaneh of Tehran and fairtrade of Germany.

The event took place from 06 to 09 June 2011 at the Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds. After the 2010 event, exhibitors had encouraged the organizers to reduce the number of public visitors and at the same time increase the number of qualified visitors. With 31,831 trade visitors, this target has been achieved in 2011. Being an ufi Approved Event, all visitor and exhibitor numbers have been verified and audited by independent auditors.

The exhibition was officially opened by Hamid Safdel, Deputy Minister of Commerce and President of the Iranian Trade Promotion Organization, Mr. Rejaie, Head of Agricultural Commission of the Parliament and Mr. Akbarpour, Managing Director of the Iran International Exhibition Center, Antonio Avallone, Director of the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade ICE in Tehran and by the organisers Shahrooz Shahverdi of Palar Samaneh, Tehran and Martin Maerz of fairtrade Messe, Germany.