Due to water problems Iran uses only 37% of arable land

Beijing. March 14. Silkroadnews - Only 50 million hectares, out of a total area of 165 million hectares in Iran, are arable land, provided there is enough water, the Iranian Telegraph Agency (IrTAG) reports.
However, in view of the serious water crisis facing the country, only 18.5 million hectares of land (37% of arable land) are under cultivation of different crops, the head of the Iranian Soil Science Association Manouchehr Gorji said.
About 8.5 million hectares of the total area of cultivated land are irrigated, and the rest are rain-fed. Due to water shortage, almost 32 million hectares of arable land are not cultivated, Mehr News Agency cited his words.
The official has also added, soil erosion in Iran is 16 tons per hectare, which is higher than the world’s average number, which is 6 tons per hectare.
It is reported that about 92% of the country’s water resources are being depleted by unsustainable and wasteful farming practices.