Akbar Younesi, Deputy for Crop Production Improvement at the Alborz Agricultural Jihad Organization, while explaining the capacities and limitations of this sector, emphasized the necessity of supporting the province's agriculture in the areas of water, gas, and primary inputs. He noted that Alborz's agricultural performance is above the national average, stating that this province has high potential for producing quality agricultural products due to its climatic diversity and proximity to research centers and export markets.
Climatic Diversity and Agricultural Products of Alborz
Younesi pointed out the province's climatic diversity, saying: "Alborz has a wide climatic diversity from Taleqan and Asara to Eshtehard, and the basis for cultivation in each area is the compatibility of the crop with climatic conditions, water and soil salinity, and water needs." He referred to the cotton cultivation in Eshtehard, where currently about 300 hectares of cotton are grown.
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He also mentioned the quality and quantity of the province's horticultural products, stating: "The persimmons of Alborz are truly famous and of high quality in terms of taste and texture." Younesi added that peaches, apples, cherries, and sour cherries are also among the province's key products with good performance.
Challenges in Agriculture and Need for Support
The Deputy for Crop Production Improvement at Alborz Agricultural Jihad identified the main challenges of the province's agriculture in the areas of water, gas, and primary inputs, saying: "We face gas limitations for greenhouse development, and the prices of agricultural inputs have significantly increased." According to him, farmers are facing serious problems in meeting their needs, and the government needs to pay more attention to the issue of water and inputs supply.
Younesi also referred to the delay in paying farmers for their wheat, stating: "Farmers have produced wheat since June and delivered it to the government, but recently they have only been able to receive about 50 percent of their payment." This delay reduces the motivation for replanting and delivering wheat to the government and needs to be corrected.
He concluded by emphasizing that if reliable water, stable gas, and cheaper inputs are available to farmers, the province's performance will significantly improve, and Alborz farmers are looking to export and produce quality products.
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