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Iranian Agriculture and Its Development: 1952–1973

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2009

Jane Perry Clark Carey
Affiliation:
New York City
Andrew Galbraith Carey
Affiliation:
New York City

Extract

In the two decades between 1953 and 1973 the rapidly growing industrialization of Iran has shifted to industry much of the former emphasis on agriculture. During the last five years of the period, the share of agriculture in the GNP declined from somewhat under 25 percent to i6 percent. Despite its decreasing part, agriculture in 1972/3 was still responsible for the largest portion of consumer expenditures, and agricultural products, notably such traditional items as carpets, dried fruit and nuts continued to rank next below oil as Iran's largest exports, and so were the second largest provider of the country's foreign exchange.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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References

1 Annual Report and Balance Sheet, Bank Markasi Iran (the Central Bank of Iran), 1351 (1973), p. 65. The Muslim era which is used in Iran, dates from A.D. 622, the year of the flight (hijra) of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, The solar year, which is also used, usually begins on March 21st of the Gregorian year and runs to March 20th of the following. The year 1351 therefore refers to the year from March 21, 1972, to March 20, 1973. In this paper, the year is referred to as 1972/3 but the bank report is 1973 because of the date of its report to the shareholders and of publication. Beginning in 1971, all Bank Markasi reports use the Iranian date before the Gregorian. For purposes of abbreviation, report titles are shortened, i.e., Annual Report and Balance Sheet, Bank Markasi Iran, 1351, is referred to as Annual Report, Bank Markasi, 1351 (1973).Google Scholar

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4 Ibid. and Fourth National Development Plan, 1968–1972, The Imperial Government of Iran, Plan Organization, Tehran, Iran, 1968, p. 69. (This is referred to as the Fourth Plan and the other development plans as First, Second, Third Plan) indicating a planned increase of 226,000. Instead the loss was 202,000 (Annual Report, Bank Markasi [1351/1973], p. 94).

5 Ibid., p. 93 n. 3.

6 Oberlander, T. M., “Hydrography,” The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 1, The Land of Iran (Cambridge: University Press, 1968), p. 264.Google Scholar

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28 Ibid., p. 16.

29 As originally planned, credits for livestock breeding and veterinary services together were to have amounted to Rls. 7 billion (Annual Report, Bank Markasi [1351/1973], p. 67).Google Scholar

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40 Attainment was 200,000 tons short of the target of 1,400,000 tons of paddy rice (Annual Report, Bank Markasi [1351/1973], p. 65).Google Scholar

41 The target for raw cotton was 600,000 tons and 618,000 was produced (ibid.).

42 In 1964/5, oilseed production amounted to 10,000 tons and approximately 90,000 tons were consumed. The Fourth Plan target was put at 130,000 tons (Fourth Plan, pp. 99, 100), but only 54,000 were produced. Ibid.

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45 Ibid. (1971), p. 15.

46 Ibid. (1973), p. 12. The oilseed target for the Fourth Plan was 130,000 tons; actual production was 54,000 (Annual Report, Bank Markasi [1351/1973], p. 65).

47 Ibid., p. 99.

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54 In the first 9 months of 1967/8 exports had amounted to Rls. 5,165 million and the weight totaled 342,388 tons (Annual Report, Bank Markasi [1970], table 67, p. 118). In 1972/3, the value reached Rls. 16,578 million and their weight 497,000 tons (Annual Report, ADFI [1973], tables 10, II, pp. 10, 11).Google Scholar

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56 Ibid. (1351/1973), p. 66.

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62 The total value of imports amounted to Rls.79.6 billion for the five years. The net value of imports was close to Rls.1.3 billion at the beginning of the Fourth Plan, and in its last year reached Rls/18.4 billion (ibid., pp. 65–66).

63 In 1972/3 alone the import of agricultural machinery of various kinds amounted to $62.3 million (twice as much as that in the preceding year) while the value of imports of tractors rose from $14.8 million to $38.7 million (ibid., pp. 43, 46).

64 Final Report, Third Plan, pp. 21–22; Fourth Plan, pp. 89, 93; see Annual Report, Bank Markasi (1351/1973), p. 65. For summary of agricultural progress during the Fourth Plan period, see ibid., pp. 64–68.

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67 Ibid., p. 66.

69 Ibid. (1970), p. 123.

70 The proportion of the total credit extended to agriculture by the banking System amounted to 8 percent. Agriculture's share in GNP was 16 percent (Annual Report, ADFI [1973], p. 16).Google Scholar

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72 Ibid. (1968), p. 121.

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