Iran’s pistachio exports will reach 150000 tons this year
The plan to track and control the critical points of pistachio production for the first time in the Middle East in Iran is done in the open air.
Engineer Behrouz Gheibi, Director General of the Pistachio Affairs Office of the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture, stated: The foreign exchange value of Iranian pistachio exports reaches $ 835 million and Iranian pistachios are exported to more than 76 countries.
He added: The plan to control the critical points of pistachio production through control, analysis of risk factors HACCP in 1382 was implemented experimentally in Kerman and Yazd provinces, which according to the satisfactory results was decided to be done in pistachio orchards.
He emphasized: The implementation of HACCP plan for the first time in Iran and the Middle East is done outside the factory and in the open air of pistachio orchards and we intend to make the plan of tracking and controlling critical points of pistachio public throughout the country.
The Director General of the Pistachio Office of the Ministry of Jihad for Agriculture, stating that $ 32 million worth of pistachios have been exported this year and so far, predicted: this amount will reach 150,000 tons by the end of 2006.
He added: The government and the parliament have approved the necessary funds for the renovation and reconstruction of pistachio orchards, and according to that, the facilities will be paid to the farmers.
He added: The amount of reconstruction and renovation facilities does not have a ceiling, and farmers can receive any amount of facilities that are needed at an interest rate of 8.5 percent, depending on the conditions of their garden.
Aflatoxin poisoning is a complication caused by mold on food and its toxin remains on the food, he said. Aflatoxin is present in all food products, but due to its economic importance and high volume of pistachio trade, this product has been considered.
He pointed out that the standard amount of aflatoxin in Iran is five PPB and in the European Union is two PPB, noting that aflatoxin for Iranian exports to the EU is between 2 to 4 PPB and for other non-European countries between 5 to 15 PPB.
We need a five-year plan to cover HACCP publicly, he said. Help them comply with the pistachio critical points tracking and control plan.
The director general of the pistachio office of the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture said: the price of pistachios will not decrease due to its bulk exports and this method is implemented all over the world.
He continued: Considering the tariff above 30% of packaging, export in small packages is not economically justified and in each country, according to the taste of their citizens, they add additives allowed for taste and color.
In the end, he said: Pistachio packaging system has started in five factories in our country, which due to the new export plan for pistachio packaging, the volume of export product in this way is still small and limited.
