IRNA � The Organization for Trade Promotion of Iran announced that exports of various types of dates during the 10-month period of this current Iranian year (will end on March 20) grew by 53 percent compared to last year.

Mahmoud Bazari, director general of the Agricultural Export and Processing Industries Organization, added, 'The total amount of exports of various types of dates in the 10 months of this year is estimated at 249,000 tons worth 258 million dollars, which in the same period last year was 196,000 tons worth 186 million dollar showing 27 percent growth in weight and 53 percent growth in value.

He noted that over $284 million of total exports of date products were shifted to five main markets, including India, Pakistan, Iraq, Kazakhstan and Turkey, which represents an increase of 53 percent compared to $186 million in 2017.

It was announced earlier that India, which was among 85 countries importing Iran's date in 2017 by purchasing more than $43 million, is the first country to import this product from the Islamic Republic.