Makran Coasts Development Supreme Council inks co-op MOU with Agriculture Ministry

The Secretariat of the Supreme Council for the Development of Makran Coasts has signed a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Agriculture Ministry to cooperate in promoting agricultural activities in the region.
The MOU was signed by Agriculture Minister Mohammad-Ali Nikbakht and Secretary of the Supreme Council for the Development of Makran Coasts Hossein Dehghan, IRNA reported on Sunday.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Nikbakht enumerated some of the capacities of the Makran region, saying: “A large part of Makran coasts is located in Sistan-Baluchestan province, due to access to open waters, the Sea of Oman, and the coasts of African countries, these regions have a unique capacity for the development of fisheries and aquaculture.”
The minister further mentioned some of the capacities of Sistan-Baluchestan province and said: “This province ranks first in the country in terms of investment opportunities, and in terms of talent in various fields of horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry, trade and mining, it is among the first three provinces of the country.”
Makran is a historical region in Iran that runs from mountains west of Jask all the way to parts of Pakistan’s Baluchistan province in the southwest along the Sea of Oman.
Iran has recently constructed significant nautical and commercial infrastructure in a number of Makran districts, particularly at Chabahar port, which serves as a vital trade route between the Indian Ocean and landlocked nations in Central Asia.
Earlier in June, the head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) announced a plan to attract over $390 million of domestic investment in the Makran Coast.
Ali-Akbar Safaei said that so far, the private sector has invested more than $215 million in the mentioned region and the country’s small ports.
He also noted that good measures have been taken in the foreign investment sector, which will hopefully bear results soon.
Back in November 2022, President Ebrahim Raisi called for a quick development of the south and southeastern shores of Iran, namely the Makran coastline.
Raisi stated that plans for the development of the Makran coasts by the government and the private sector might assist the comparatively underdeveloped region.