Iran's Autumn Crop Production Decreased by 30% Due to Power Outages

The head of the Agricultural Guilds of Iran announced a 30% decrease in autumn crop production due to power outages. Qasem Pishavar stated on Saturday, December 1, that the damage from power cuts is not limited to agricultural products, as well as the equipment of wells suffering serious damage. According to Mr. Pishavar, agricultural well electricity is currently cut daily from 4 PM to 9 PM. Two weeks ago, an inspector from the country's poultry farmers' union reported a 20% damage to poultry farms due to power outages. The government's inability to supply electricity in autumn comes at a time when electricity demand in cold months is one-third less than in warm seasons, and due to a shortage of gas and liquid fuel for power plants, the government is unable to meet even this level of electricity demand. Statistics from the Ministry of Energy indicate that the agricultural sector accounts for 13% of the country's electricity consumption, but this figure peaks in summer and is much lower in the cold seasons. The agricultural sector in Iran has faced a drought crisis for years, and since last year, an electricity crisis has also been added, resulting in the agricultural sector's share of total employment in the country reaching its lowest level in 19 years last autumn. The latest report from the Statistical Center shows that this summer, the agricultural sector's share of total employment in the country fell by 1% compared to last summer to about 14.5%. Meanwhile, Iran's annual imports of agricultural products have peaked at $17 billion, most of which consists of grains such as wheat and barley, which are planted in both spring and autumn. In addition to the agricultural sector, the government has severely restricted electricity delivery to industries, and widespread blackouts are also being implemented in the residential sector. Iran has a 7% annual growth in electricity consumption, but since 2011, the growth in electricity production has not even reached half of this figure. For example, last year, it was planned to add 6,000 megawatts to the country's electricity production capacity, but only one-third of this figure was realized, leading to a surge in electricity shortages and widespread blackouts in the summer. This summer, the electricity shortage reached 20,000 megawatts; in other words, the government was unable to meet 25% of electricity demand during peak consumption.