Meshgin Shahr County Green & Brown Lentil Producers | Iranco
Ershq dry lentil value chain, geographic matrix and database of 11 sorting, packing and wholesale units
Guide to green and brown lentil production in Meshgin Shahr — Ershq plain, industrial zone, Alma Sinan, Hezar Gol Koujneq, Co-op 805 and value leakage to Tabriz and Tehran.
Lentil agro-ecosystem and processing infrastructure in Meshgin Shahr
Meshgin Shahr County on the northern Sabalan slopes (Ardabil) combines mountain-to-steppe climate, elevation and volcanic soils into a core dryland pulse belt. Ardabil Province anchors national lentil supply; Meshgin Shahr ranks alongside Bileh Savar and Germi as a leading county.
Ershq District (Rey hub) defines “Ershq dry lentil”: uniform kernels, distinct aroma and fast cooking. Meshgin Shahr Industrial Zone (km 13 on the Ardabil road) and Rey industrial area complement village workshops and Khiyav wholesale yards.
Technical profile: green vs brown Meshgin Shahr lentils
| Parameter | Green (Ershq dry) | Brown (landrace) |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Green lentil Ershq ecotypes; Kimia & Bileh Savar lines | Savalan landraces; cold-tolerant |
| Cook time | Green lentil 20–30 min; holds shape | 25–40 min; high mucilage |
| Target market | Green lentil Retail packs, general export | Soups, organic, local stews |
| Farm practice | Green lentil Spring dryland, mechanised/traditional | Dryland without chemical inputs |
Geographic matrix: farm and industry poles
| Pole | Economic focus | Main product |
|---|---|---|
| Ershq plain (Rey) | Organic dry farming, seed, threshing | Green & brown dry lentils |
| Meshgin Shahr IZ | Sorting, grading, packing | Flow-wrap & carton lines |
| Khiyav (county seat) | Wholesale, storage, inter-province haul | Bulk aggregation |
| Qasabeh / Mazraeh Khalf | Dry crop, buying yards | Local green lentil, grain trade |
| Koujneq / East Meshgin | Workshop pulse packing | Native dry lentils |
Value chain flow and product movement
Harvest & village aggregation
Late spring harvest moves to village hubs, co-op stores and Rey threshing shops; vibrating screens and aspirators remove trash.
Local industrial branch
Ershq co-ops and Meshgin traders route sorted lots to the industrial zone for sizing, polish and pack.
Bulk exit to secondary hubs
A large share in 30–50 kg sacks exits via brokers to Azarshahr, Tabriz, Alborz and Tehran — sorting value and brands are captured outside the county.
Limited optical sorting and MAP packing locally drives value leakage: premium Ershq dry lentil is often bulk-sold, re-sorted elsewhere under non-local brands, leaving growers the thinnest margin.
Active company database
Processing, sorting & packing
| Company | Location | Activity | Products | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meshginshahr Co-op 805 Sorting & Pulse Packing | Industrial suburb | Industrial sort & pack | Green/brown lentil, pulses | Active |
| Hezar Gol Koujneq Meshgin Packaging | Koujneq | Workshop & industrial pack | Ershq dry lentils | Active |
| Sefirayan Rostakhiz Sabalan Co. | Dolatabad | Sort, pack, agro trade | Green & brown lentil | Active |
| Dadli Bal Sabalan Co. | Zirzamin | Food processing & pack | Packed lentils (side line) | Active |
| Ershq Organic Lentil Workshop (Khodaei) | Ershq / Khiyav | Farm-gate thresh & wholesale | Organic Ershq lentil | Active |
Trading, wholesale & co-ops
| Company | Location | Activity | Products | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma Sinan Savalan Trading Co. | Khiyav | Domestic trade & export | Premium green/brown lentil | Export |
| Yaschil Trade Mazraeh Khalf Co. | Mazraeh Khalf | Bulk wholesale | Dry green & brown lentil | Wholesale |
| Aran Amir Savalan Trading Co. | Khiyav | Wholesale pulses & grains | Bulk threshed green lentil | Wholesale |
| Ershq North Rural Production Co-op | Dohchi Olya | Seed, thresh, aggregation | Ershq lentil seed & grain | Co-op |
| Dehkadeh Dasht Sabz Khiyav Co. | Khiyav center | Seed supply & trade | Dry lentil & inputs | Active |
| Phase 2 Central Pulse Warehouse | Phase 2 Khiyav | Wholesale & transit | Threshed Maghan/Ershq lentil | Wholesale |
Market structure and development bottlenecks
Limited optical sorting and MAP packing locally drives value leakage: premium Ershq dry lentil is often bulk-sold, re-sorted elsewhere under non-local brands, leaving growers the thinnest margin.
GI registration for “Ershq dry lentil”, optical lines at Alma Sinan, Hezar Gol and Co-op 805, plus contract farming with Yaschil Trade and Ershq/Qasabeh growers can curb raw sales and grade mixing.
Synthesis and actionable strategies
- National/international GI for “Ershq dry lentil” with agriculture offices and Ershq North co-op
- Optical sort & MAP at Alma Sinan, Hezar Gol, Co-op 805
- Contract farming via Yaschil Trade with Ershq & Qasabeh dryland farmers
Iranco’s specialist team can connect you with active players in this chain.