"Our country is the number one producer of Damask rose and saffron in the world," said MAJ's deputy for planning and economic affairs Shahpour Alaie Moghadam on Wednesday.
Hossein Zeinali, another MAJ official, said production of Damask roses in Iran will increase by 10,000 metric tons (mt) to almost 70,000 mt in the calendar year to late March.
Zeinali, who is in charge of the ministry’s national plan for medicinal herbs, said favorable weather conditions has led to a positive outlook for this year's crop yields.
Most of Iran's Damask rose output is processed into rose water, with 60 to 70 million liters consumed domestically each year, he said.
However, the MAJ is focusing on a plan to ramp up the production of rose essence in the country, and expects that 45% of rose processing activities will focus on essence production.
The official said an experimental project utilizing new machines and technology is currently in progress to manufacture premium rose essence for exports to global markets.
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