Financial Tribune- Around 31,200 tons of dried tea leaves were produced in Iran during the current Iranian year (started March 20, 2016), registering a 60% rise compared with last year, according to the head of Iran Tea Organization. "At present 28-29% of the domestic demand for tea are met by local production. Last year, the figure stood at nearly 13%," Mohammad Vali Rouzbehan was quoted as saying by ILNA.

Close to 140,000 tons of fresh tea leaves were purchased from local farmers by the government over the harvest season from June to October. Tea is cultivated in Iran�s northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran where 50,000 families earn their living from tea farming on more than 25,000 hectares of fields.

The government has a guaranteed purchase system in place for many crops, including tea, to build up its strategic reserves and control prices in the domestic market.