Iran Seeks to Revive Lucrative Caviar Industry: Report
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran plans to revive its caviar industry in the wake of its recent nuclear deal with six world powers and the upcoming termination of anti-Tehran sanctions, a report said.
After Tehran struck a landmark nuclear deal this summer, respective Iranian organizations are now counting on a revival in exports of the exclusive eggs, caviar, according to a Friday AP report.
"We hope that as a result of the Iranian government's interaction with the world, the path will be opened for us to export our products abroad and bring in foreign currency earnings. It does not make a difference where we export to, the United States or Europe," said Ishaq Islami, manager of the private Ghareh Boron Caviar Fish Farm in the coastal village of Goldasht, Mazandaran province.
The fish farm aims to export 30 tons of salt-cured caviar and 2,000 tons of sturgeon meat in three years, the report said.
Islami said he expects to earn $90 million a year based on an average price of $3,000 a kilogram (about $1,360 a pound) for caviar. The United States, Europe and Japan have traditionally been Iran's biggest export markets.
"Our annual projected hard currency earnings in 2018 will be equal to the value of two days of Iran's crude oil exports," he added.
Iran, once the world's biggest exporter of the luxury food, sold over 40 tons of sturgeon eggs in 2000.
Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany- also known as P5+1 or E3+3) on July 14 reached a conclusion over the text of a comprehensive 159-page deal on Tehran’s nuclear energy program.
The deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), would terminate all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran after coming into force.
