4.5 tons of caviar produced in Iran exported last year

Between March 2020 and March 2021, Iran achieved significant success in seafood trade, exporting 140,000 tons worth over $430 million to 26 countries, marking a notable increase from the previous fiscal year. The trade encompassed 12 tons of caviar and 3,500 tons of sturgeon meat, with European companies being the primary purchasers of caviar and Russia, the key buyer of sturgeon meat. Despite facing challenges such as habitat deterioration and poaching threats to sturgeon, which necessitated a fishing ban, Iran continues to prioritize stringent anti-poaching regulations and explores sustainable farming practices to preserve biodiversity and enhance production. The country's seafood production, including trout, caviar, and shrimp, receives support from both aquaculture and nature, with a notable increase in per capita seafood consumption. The province of Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari alone contributes 40% to Iran's total seafood production, and the industry's growth is underpinned by innovative farming techniques and expansions in fish farming facilities.