Iranian province offers investment opportunities in blueberry farming for export

Yasouj, IRNA — Investment in blueberry cultivation in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province offers promising opportunities for income generation, job creation and non-oil exports, with local agricultural authorities highlighting the region’s climatic diversity and the crop’s long-term profitability.

Niroumand Sayyadi, the province’s horticulture director, said the crop’s domestic market, strong export potential, suitability for local climatic conditions, high nutritional value, and selling price make it an attractive investment option.

He added that blueberry cultivation could create sustainable direct and indirect employment, adding that each plant could remain productive for 20 years.

Reza Farazi, the head of the province’s Agriculture Organization, said the region’s diverse climate provides favorable conditions for growing blueberries in open fields, under shade structures, and in greenhouses.

He noted that the plants’ 20-year productive lifespan and relatively reasonable initial costs compared with other greenhouse crops make blueberry farming economically viable for investors.

Farazi said expanding cultivation through greenhouse complexes and providing targeted support to investors were among the organization’s strategic priorities, aimed at generating foreign currency and strengthening non-oil exports.

He added that the province’s greenhouse complexes are ready for blueberry cultivation, and the organization is prepared to support investors with financial facilities and technical assistance.

Blueberries remain relatively unfamiliar to Iranian consumers, which could give domestic producers a competitive advantage as cultivation expands and export markets develop.