Iran plans major expansion in caviar production and exports

Iran has developed an investment plan aimed at attracting funding to expand its caviar production to more than 140 metric tons in the near future, - stated Nasser Karami-Rad, a senior official of the Iran Fisheries Organization.

Considering fish farming a highly profitable sector, Iran’s caviar production rose by 17% in the past Iranian year (March 21, 2024, to March 20, 2025), increasing from 21.6 to 25.1 metric tons (mt). The provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, and Fars emerged as the leading regions in caviar production.

Caviar, which is made from the roe (eggs) of sturgeon fish, is now more widely available to consumers due to the growing supply of farmed sturgeon.

According to IRNA, approximately 7.5 metric tons of caviar were exported through Iranian customs, with additional quantities taken abroad by travellers. Iranian farmed caviar was exported to 28 countries, with key destinations including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Belgium, noted Nasser Karamirad, a senior official at the Iran Fisheries Organization.

In the previous Iranian calendar year, ended on 20 March, 2024, Iran exported 4.784 tons of farmed caviar. The latest figures represent a substantial year-on-year improvement in export performance.

With 3,704,500 kg of caviar, valued at $127.86 million, China became the world's largest exporter of caviar and its equivalents.

With exports of $90.68 million, the European Union came in second, and Japan came in third with $64.52 million. 

Italy and Germany contributed substantially to the world caviar trade, exporting $27.15 million and $46.56 million, respectively.

In terms of imports, the United States was the largest buyer of caviar, bringing in $48.3 million in 2023, a significant 17.25% increase from the previous year. Although their imports decreased over the year, France and Germany were the two other major importers, bringing in $15.1 million and $14.5 million worth of caviar, respectively. In contrast, caviar imports in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates increased by 27.48% and 28.22%, respectively, year over year.

IRAN'S FISHERY SECTOR

Iran’s fishery sector demonstrated robust growth, with exports reaching 196,000 metric tons valued at $372 million, according to a report from the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), as reported by local media.

Arezou Ghanion, Deputy Director of IRICA's Statistics and Data Processing Office, noted a significant year-on-year increase, with fishery exports rising by 29% in volume and 17% in value compared to the previous year.

The primary drivers of this export success were shrimp, tuna, and carp, which together constituted a substantial 64 percent of the total export volume and 65 percent of the overall export value within the fishery category.

Notably, China, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerged as the top three destinations for Iranian fishery products during the reported year, underscoring the strong international demand for Iran's seafood.

Shrimp exports, in particular, accounted for a substantial portion of the total export value, with the aforementioned trio of nations serving as key markets.

Looking ahead, Iran has set ambitious targets to further boost its fishery exports, aiming to achieve $1.0 billion in annual revenue by the Iranian year 1404 (March 2025–March 2026).

This goal is underpinned by strategic plans to increase total fishery production to 2.6 million metric tons—a significant rise from the 1.5 million metric tons recorded in the previous year.

The expansion of fish farming activities, including the development of additional cage aquaculture systems and the adoption of advanced breeding techniques, is expected to play a key role in reaching these targets.

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