ناصر عسکری

Iran is the second largest country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with respect to the number of inhabitants and economy. A production of 12 million tonnes of fresh fruits and 20 million tonnes of vegetables ranks Iran as 11th and 5th world fruit and vegetable producer, respectively. Pistachio (Pistacia), grape (Vitis), and apple (Malus) are the main fruits. In 2015, cucumber (Cucumis sativus) was the main greenhouses crop (84.1%) with 1.5 million tonnes. Almost 10% of the vegetables are produced in the greenhouse. About 10,000 flower and plant nurseries are producing ornamental plants using 3,500 ha outdoor and 2,200 ha indoor. Several provinces produce high quality medicinal plants. Iran is the main world saffron producer with 351 tonnes yearly