Director of Horticulture of East Azerbaijan Jihad Agricultural Organization said: the amount of walnut production in the province this year was estimated at more than 24,600 tons, but due to frost in the gardens of most cities, about 2899 tons of crop has been lost and now the amount of walnut production in this year it is estimated at 24,700 tons.
In an interview with ISNA, Mohammad Baqer Biparva said that the area under walnut cultivation in the province is 730 hectares of infertile orchards and 9200 hectares of fertile orchards. He said that about 80% of the province’s walnuts, equivalent to 19,700 tons, are consumed fresh. And the remaining 20%, equivalent to 7900 tons, is used in the food industry.
Regarding the export of this product, he said: The export of gadoo from the province is often done in the form of walnut kernels to the neighboring provinces and the countries of the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, and Russia.
He stated that the yield of the walnut crop in the province is equal to three tons per hectare, adding: native walnut cultivars make up 96% of the area under cultivation in the province’s orchards and 4% include improved cultivars of Lor, Farnour, Frent, Franket, Howard and cultivars.
Recklessly stating that the cities of Osko, Ajab Shir and Azarshahr are important centers for walnut production and processing in the province, he added: East Azerbaijan has about seven percent of the total area under walnut orchards out of more than 140,000 hectares of orchards and the highest area under cultivation Walnut is also located in the cities of Esco with 1329 hectares, Ajab Shir with 1108 hectares, Azarshahr with 935 hectares, Marand with 827 hectares and Shabestar with 749 hectares.
Regarding the province’s agricultural jihad programs in walnut orchards, he said: “The branching of walnut trees with superior cultivars and local elites with the aim of increasing yield in the unit and controlling the spread of the worm is one of the priorities of agricultural jihad.”
