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Northern Forests On The Verge Of Destruction


Workers on a tea farm in the north of Iran
Workers on a tea farm in the north of Iran
Qasem Jend, the deputy head of the city council of Zirab, a city in the northern province of Mazandaran, warns of the destruction of forests in northern Iran:

In recent months, every newspaper, news website, and television channel has devoted itself to the analysis of political issues, but have we ever asked ourselves the question that who were the actual victims during this political hue and cry?

The purpose of this introduction was to recall the fact that the people in the northern provinces of our country are not happy. The reason is what was briefly referred to by the media; the destruction of forests as well as the import of rice and fruit from other countries during the harvesting season.

The forests in northern Iran are on the verge of destruction. But ironically, we are the only ones who are responsible for this. Countless trees are cut and brought down in the forests and protected areas, while the Organization of Environmental Protection, which is responsible for the protection of this endangered heritage of ours, is instead speeding up this process by mismanagement.

A farmer who has spent all year waiting for this day now sees his and his family's dreams wash away. These men, who fear the wrath of nature but have gained the fruits of their efforts and hard work, have now been slapped in the face by the authorities, with the humiliation of their families on top of it.

The fact that those men and women work hard and shed their sweat striving to earn honest income for half a year while ensuring the agricultural self-sufficiency of our country have to present their product to rats in the store rooms. More painful is the fact that instead of their products, low-quality foreign ones have made their place in our market and homes. It is as if, taken from our media to our businessmen, we all are striving to improve the agriculture and economy of other countries instead of our own.

Our farmers once turned their agricultural lands to fruit farms due to the bad situation of the local rice market, when today they face loads of low-quality imported fruit when the time comes for harvesting their product. It is as if an opposing force rises with every new step that they take. The only thing left for our farmers now is to cut down the trees of their orchards and sell and use the wood to spend their winter.

We have to cry about the condition of our farming and agriculture, forests, the condition of our farmers, and some of our managers.

About This Blog

Persian Letters is a blog that offers a window into Iranian politics and society. Written primarily by Golnaz Esfandiari, Persian Letters brings you under-reported stories, insight and analysis, as well as guest Iranian bloggers -- from clerics, anarchists, feminists, Basij members, to bus drivers.

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