Source: PressTV

An Iranian agriculture official has predicted that the value of Iran's pistachio exports would reach at $1.2 billion in 2009.

Mohsen Jalalpour, head of Iran Pistachio Association, says the southeastern province of Kerman is expected to produce around 150,000 tons of pistachio this year.

"70 percent of Iran's pistachio crop is produced in Kerman Province and main portion of this product is being exported to Asian, European and American countries," Japlalpour told Mehr News Agency.

He said the price of a kilogram of "green pistachio" is about $24 on the global markets.

Pistachio nuts are the top non-oil export of the Islamic Republic, earning the country more than $1 billion in hard currency on a yearly basis and providing about 140,000 jobs for the agricultural sector in the southeastern province of Kerman. >

... Payvand News - 09/05/09 ... --