MNA � Over 274,000 tons of dates worth $307 million were exported from Iran in the 11 months of the last fiscal (March 21, 2018, to Feb.19).

Data released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration shows that some 112,000 tons (40%) of the total exports were Mazafati dates � a popular cultivar of the date grown in southern Iran, mainly in Bam, Jiroft, Kahnuj, Saravan, Nikshahr.

Iran exports dates to over 85 countries. Russia, India, Canada, East Asia and some European countries are our main export destinations of Iranian dates.

According to Eskandar Zand, an advisor to the agriculture minister, date production in Iran has increased by 18% in the last 10 years while the average global increase over the same period has been 10%.

The considerable jump could help the country raise its date exports, as a high-revenue crop, to 400,000 tons per year.