By Lynda Kiernan

 

Italian agricultural equipment producer, the Nardi Group, is investing in establishing a presence in Iran’s Moghan region, a major hub for the country’s food production, and where some of the country’s biggest dairy, beef, sugar, cotton, and food processing operations are located.

 

After the group’s chief executive, Virgilio Mazzardo traveled to the region to assess its potential, visiting Moghan Agri-Industrial and Aminal Husbandry Company (MAIAHC) and touring local farmland, Nardi will soon be moving to open an office in Parsabad.

 

Iran’s geography and climate allows it to be a major producer of multiple crops, becoming a leading producer and exporter of pistachios, raisins, and saffron. The Iranian Moghan region is at the crossroads of the Caucuses and borders the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan.

 

Since 1979, Iran has been following a program of food self-sufficiency and agricultural production, with agriculture accounting for 13% of the country’s gross domestic product and employing over 20% of its population. But its lack of governance, mismanagement, and repeated droughts have caused the sector to experience low productivity and investment interest.

 

The Nardi group plans to produce agricultural equipment in Iran, with the goal of expanding exports of its machinery at a later date.

 

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