National Apple Festival to be Held in Shirvan to Support Orchards and Market Development

Shirvan – The executive secretary of the National Apple Festival announced that this event will be held on October 8 and 9 in Shirvan, aimed at addressing orchardists’ issues, developing the market, and completing the apple value chain.

In an interview with Mehr News Agency, Amin Avazbadeh stated that Shirvan is the most important hub of apple production in North Khorasan and can play a more prominent role in the county’s economy, increasing farmers’ income, and creating new investment and employment opportunities.

Emphasizing that this festival is not merely a symbolic event, he said that its goal is to address the issues facing orchardists, develop the market, and complete the apple value chain.

The executive secretary of the National Apple Festival pointed out that producing a quality crop is not the end of the road, and without plans for packaging, storage, processing industries, marketing, and sales, a significant part of the product’s added value will leave the county, and farmers will not receive their fair share of the toil they endure.

Stressing that Shirvan’s apples must become the focal point of the county’s economic and developmental planning, Avazbadeh added that one of the festival’s objectives is to draw the attention of provincial and national officials to the capacity of Shirvan’s apples as well as the issues and demands of the orchardists.

Referring to the planned scientific and economic programs on the sidelines of the festival, he added that holding specialized panels with the presence of university professors, agricultural experts, leading orchardists, and authorities is among the targeted programs to examine topics such as introducing native varieties, modern orchard management methods, reducing waste, renovating and improving orchards, packaging, product storage, and the development of processing industries.

Avazbadeh noted that efforts will also be made to provide a platform for meetings and dialogues among producers, traders, buyers, investors, and activists in processing industries.

The presence of market players is valuable when it can lead to the formation of sustainable economic ties, the identification of new markets, and the enhancement of orchardists’ sales power.

The executive secretary of the Shirvan National Apple Festival mentioned the introduction of prominent regional and native varieties as another focus of the festival and stated that Shirvan apples have remarkable characteristics in terms of quality, diversity, taste, and storage capacity, but these advantages have not been introduced nationwide as they deserve.

The festival can mark the beginning of a targeted movement to strengthen the Shirvan apple brand and establish the city’s name in national markets.

Emphasizing that the festival will not be limited solely to the agricultural sector, Avazbadeh added that this event is an opportunity to showcase the full range of Shirvan’s capacities.

Natural and rural tourism, handicrafts, local products, art, and the capabilities of the county’s artists will also be presented alongside the apple product to provide a more comprehensive picture of Shirvan’s cultural and economic capacities.

He considered creating social excitement and vitality as another focus of the festival, stating that the performance of indigenous and local rituals, cultural and artistic programs, Chokhe wrestling, public walking, and family events have been planned so that people, alongside the specialized and economic sections, can experience two joyful and memorable days.

Avazbadeh stated in conclusion that the success of the festival will only be meaningful if the demands of orchardists, the attraction of investors, the development of processing industries, and the promotion of Shirvan apples continue even after it concludes.

We hope this festival will be the starting point of a lasting path to support farmers, strengthen the county’s economy, and introduce Shirvan’s true capacities at the national level.

It is worth noting that the National Shirvan Apple Festival will be held on Thursday and Friday, October 8 and 9, 2026, at Shirkooh Mountain Park.

All Content by Mehr News Agency is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

منبع: Mehr News (FA)

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