Iranian Agricultural Export Data with Virtual Water Content and Virtual Water Export Estimates, 2004–2023 (HS 4-Digit Level)
Description
The present dataset provides annual records of Iran’s agricultural exports from 2004 to 2023, with a special focus on virtual water indicators. In the first step, annual export quantities for each commodity within the main groups—vegetables, fruits and nuts, cereals, and spices—were extracted based on the six-digit HS classification from the ITC Trade Map database. For each product, the Virtual Water Content (VWC)—representing the average volume of water required to produce one ton of the commodity under Iranian conditions (measured in cubic meters per ton)—was determined using data from the WaterStat database of the Water Footprint Network and authoritative studies such as Mekonnen & Hoekstra (2011). These coefficients are typically global or national long-term averages and account for green, blue, and grey water components. In the next step, the annual export volume for each product was multiplied by its corresponding VWC to obtain the Virtual Water Export (VWE), which reflects the volume of virtual water transferred abroad through agricultural trade. This approach enables detailed structural and quantitative analysis of the role of Iran’s agricultural exports in virtual water flows and water resource sustainability at the commodity level over an extended period.
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Steps to reproduce
Obtain Export Data: Download annual export quantity data for Iranian agricultural commodities (2004–2023) at the six-digit HS code level from the ITC Trade Map. Collect Virtual Water Content (VWC): Retrieve product-specific virtual water content coefficients (m³/ton) from the WaterStat database or from authoritative literature (e.g., Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2011). Calculate Virtual Water Export (VWE): For each product and year, multiply the annual export quantity (in tons) by the corresponding VWC to estimate the total virtual water export (VWE) in cubic meters. Aggregate Results: Sum the VWE values across all products for each year to obtain the total virtual water export (WX) of Iran. Verify Calculations: Check that the aggregated figures match those provided in this dataset. All calculation steps can be performed using spreadsheet software (e.g., Excel) or statistical tools (e.g., R, Python).