Minister of Agriculture Jihad: 350 Percent Increase in Medicinal Plants Cultivation in Sistan and Balouchestan

Vastness as well as biodiversity, the possibility of cultivating outdoors and off season, having the framework for the production of healthy and organic crops, are all relative advantages of this province.
Zahedan, IRNA- The Minister of Agriculture Jihad said, “medicinal plants cultivation has has 350 percent increase in Sistan and Balouchestan, since 2013.”
According to IRNA, in a meeting for resistive economy in Sistan and Balouchestan, which was attended by the vice-president and held in Zabol, Kazem Khavazi stated, “vastness as well as biodiversity, the possibility of cultivating outdoors and off season, abundance of cheap workforce, having the framework for the production of healthy and organic crops, the ease in business transactions and export, having an old and dynamic history in traditional medicine, are all relative advantages of this province in medicinal plants.”
He added, “properties such as being content, adaptability with tensions as well as difficult environmental conditions existing in Sistan and Balouchestan, considerable economic value and possibility of employment under different sectors of production, packaging, marketing and agro-processing industry, has made medicinal plants a favorable alternative for inclusion in cultivation pattern of various areas in the province.”
Referring to pipe irrigation project in 46 thousand hectares of farms in Sistan, Minister of Agriculture Jihad said, “this project is the biggest plan in agriculture sector which can bring considerable achievements for the people of this region.”
He went on to say, “in order to exploit the project of 46 thousand hectares in Sistan plain, modification of cultivation pattern has been observed, and the first stage is the issue of education.”
Khavazi further stated, “in this regard, 105 hectares of wheat, 100 hectares of grape and 100 hectares of kitchen garden products has been prepared for which educational programs have been considered.”
Indicating lack of limitations in the modern irrigation systems, he noted, “this Ministry is prepared to set up modern irrigation systems in Sistan and Balouchestan farms based on the farmers’ request.”
The Minister of Agriculture Jihad stressed that it has been determined to accompany investers to visit the area in order to identify the potentials for tropical plant production, pisciculture in cages as well as medicinal plants.