Pomegranate Value Chain Development Strategies in Mahvelat County Using Strategic Planning Tools

Agricultural processing industries are an integral part of industry and agriculture, hence its development have a high priority in value chain of agricultural production. The present study identifies the strategies for the development of the value chain of pomegranate using SWOT and QSPM. The results showed that the “high area under cultivation of ​​pomegranates” is the most important strength, "small and scattered pomegranate gardens" is the most significant weakness; "the potential of integrated agricultural land and orchards" is the most important opportunity, and "implementation of the targeted subsidy plan and the lack of willingness of youth to be a worker" is the most important threat of development of the pomegranate value chain in the Mahvelat county. With the help of a quantitative matrix, the strategies of maximum-maximum (SO) were selected. In this matrix, the strategy of "creating pomegranate processing industries" has priority for the production of processed products and more value added for farmers in order to develop of pomegranate value chain in Mahvelat county.