TEHRAN (Iran News) –The CEO of Fishery Company of Etka Organization and a member of Protein Production and Packaging Industry Employers Trade Association says Iran’s share of 212m tons of fishery products of the world is only 1.2m tons.
Speaking in a press conference on Wednesday, Mr. Mahmoud Moalem said that with having such capacities and capabilities, the country should not be affected by the sanctions and the like issues, adding that if these capacities are managed wisely, the problems will drop to its lowest amount. He noted that one of the very good capacities of the country is to use its sea and water resources, adding that the country has 4500 kilometers of coasts in its southern part that four provinces enjoy it. He pointed to Khuzestan, Bushehr, Hormozgan and Sistan and Baluchestan as the provinces which benefit from coasts while the country has some 2000 kilometers of coasts in the north.
Moalem further said that with enjoying such a considerable coastal areas, Iran’s share of world fishery products is not even 0.5%, adding that some 212m tons of fishery products are produced in the world per year and Iran’s share is only 1.2m tons.
He added that the question is why with having such a great amount of coasts Iran’s share of the fishery in the world is insignificant. He added that Iran ranks 23 in the world in fishery products but India, China and Indonesia are the major fishery producers in the world and these three countries account for 73% of world fishery products.
Moalem further said that the per capita for fishery products consumption in Iran is 13 kilograms and tinned fish is the dominant fisher product consumption in Iran.
He further pointed to the reason for establishment of Fishery Company by Etka Organization and said that Etka Organization is a big operational group which missed fishery and it decided Fishery Company to be launched. He further said that the fishery company of the organization had only one factory in Ghaemshahr last year but due to the prudence and wise management of Etka Organization, the number of factories increased and the fishery unit of the organization was launched in Chabahar.
He added that the fishery chain in Etka Organization has been formed since last year and the center of operation of this unit is in Chabahar Port as the port is a strategic port in the region and the Middle East. He said that the main fishing in this port is industrial fishes which is used in the tuna producing factories.
He added that the company exported sole and croaker fish worth of $540m, noting that the region can produce 4,000 tons of shrimp and 85% of shrimp product is exported and Arab states and Southeast Asian countries are the main destinations for Iran’s shrimp which earns good amount of forex for the country.
