In the 11-month period, Iran exported over 5.1 million tons of fishery and aquatic products, valued at $620 million, showing a 15 and a 7.4 percent increase in weight and value, respectively, compared to the same period last year, Deputy Agriculture Minister Hossein Hosseini said.
He noted that the ministry has issued the operation license for farming fish at cage in the northern and southern waters of Iran.
Launching two new mega projects with the production capacity of 10,000 tons, increasing the number of cages at sea from 133 to 356, attaining 85% self-sufficiency in manufacturing fishery equipment, as well as redesigning and constructing submersible cages for fish breeding with Tension Leg Cage (TLC) method are among the infrastructural measures carried out by the ministry, Hosseini added, IRNA reported.
The deputy minister further pointed to the key role the private sector has played in the fishery industry last year, saying the private companies have fulfilled most of the objectives of the ministry in the field of fishery activities.