The total area of farms in Iran used for cultivating damask rose has increased from 19,000 hectares in 2017 to more than 30,000 hectares in 2023, Agriculture Ministry official Hossein Zeinali told IRNA.
Iran exported $2.6 million in damask rose petals and buds during the previous Persian calendar year (ended March 19, 2024), registering a 51 and 24 percent hike in weight and value, respectively, compared to a year earlier, he added.
Zeinali added that around 1.85 million tons of Iranian rosewater was exported last year, showing a 15.5 percent growth compared to a year before.
The financial turnover of the damask rose and fragrant roses industry in the world is about $2.5 billion, he noted, estimating Iran’s share at $250 million.
The official also stressed the need to acquire the experience of successful countries in the agricultural processing industries, obtaining flower essence, and growing different varieties of damask rose.
The provinces of Isfahan, Kerman, Kermanshah, Fars and East Azarbaijan are the main producers of damask rose in Iran, he added.