Dargaz Onion Producers, Traders & Border Export Directory | Iranco
Native pink & red onion, Zarghan cultivar, Lotfabad customs and 11+ sorting, co-op & wholesale players
B2B guide to Dargaz onion — 60 ha planted, pink/red natives, Zarghan yields, cold-chain gaps and Lotfabad export lane to Central Asia.
Dargaz table-onion value chain
Dargaz county at the north of Khorasan Razavi is known for native pink and red onions and the high-yield Zarghan cultivar, yet missing industrial processing lines, technical cold stores and harvest mechanisation push most value to Mashhad markets and Lotfabad export intermediaries.
International Lotfabad customs sits 33 km from Dargaz industrial park, yet native Dargaz onion still captures only a thin share of volumes cleared there.
Product tree & industrial derivatives
| Category | Supply form | Technical specs | Value-chain use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field bulb | 15–25 kg mesh bags | Cured skins, rooted | Fresh markets, bulk export |
| Dehydrated | Flakes/chips | Moisture <6% | Canning & soups |
| Powder | Powder/granule | Mesh 80–120 | Meat, snacks, sauces |
| Thermal | Frozen fried | Oil control, vacuum | Catering & RTE |
| IQF | Raw diced frozen | −40°C blast, −18°C | Burger & nugget lines |
| Extract | Essence/oleoresin | Diallyl sulfides | Flavours & pharma |
Native & improved cultivars
| Cultivar | Traits | Target market |
|---|---|---|
| Dargaz pink | High sugars, mild pungency, stew onion | Traditional cuisine & GI potential |
| Dargaz red | Sulfur volatiles, bold red skin | Fresh & export lots |
| Zarghan | Up to 70 t/ha yield | Mechanised farms |
| Yellow/golden types | Commercial tonnage | Mesh-bag wholesale |
Dargaz county agronomic matrix
| Indicator | Figure | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Planted area | 60 ha | Tied to surface water & alluvial wells |
| Mechanised | 40 ha (60%) | Row planters & drip tape |
| Native yield | ~45 t/ha | Traditional hand planting |
| Zarghan yield | ~70 t/ha | Balanced density & nutrition |
| Calendar | Plant Farvardin–Ordibehesht; harvest Shahrivar–Aban | 120–150 day cycle |
From manual harvest to border export
Spring planting
Farvardin–Ordibehesht with seedlings and drip tape.
Manual harvest
Shahrivar–Aban; no onion lifters — sun scalding risk.
Traditional storage
Dark barns & straw shade; economic life <90 days.
Commercialisation
Raw to Mashhad/Neyshabur or Lotfabad transit by traders.
Processing, industrial park & cold chain
Dargaz industrial park lies 1 km off the main road and 33 km from Lotfabad customs; tenants focus on rice, cellulose, detergents and flour — no dedicated onion slice, dryer or powder plant operates in-county. Processing stays in small peel-and-fry workshops.
Ideal bulb storage: 0–2 °C, 65–70% RH, forced air to limit sprouting and grey mould.
Lotfabad customs & Central Asia trade
Lotfabad–Artiq (Turkmenistan) corridor moves large onion and veg export volumes toward Central Asia, yet most truckloads are sourced outside Dargaz and only transit the county. Without mechanised sorting and phytosanitary pallet halls locally, farmers miss winter export premiums.
Onion chain business database
Trading, sorting & export
| Unit / brand | City | Activity | Key products | Export status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novin Pishgam Behzad Agro-Industry | Dargaz | Sorting, packing & ag export | Table onion & produce | Export active |
| Abran Dasht Lotfabad Co. | Lotfabad | Processing, packing & export | Export onion & inputs | Export active |
| Abivord Tejarat Novin Parsian | Lotfabad | Customs clearance & trading | Onion & veg customs lots | Export active |
| Vihan Sepehr Daragard | Lotfabad | Distribution, packing & export | Onion & fresh produce | Export active |
| Lotfabad Border Dwellers Co-op | Lotfabad | Cross-border trading | Native onion & potato | Export active |
Co-ops & farm support
| Unit / brand | City | Activity | Key products | Export status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dargaz Rural Co-ops Union | Dargaz | Input supply & collective buying | Onion seed & fertiliser; local marketing | Institutional |
| Dargaz Farmers Agricultural Co-op | Dargaz | Farm production & extension | Native red & pink onion | Active |
| Etihad Sabz Dargaz Co-op | Dargaz | Advisory & seed supply | Onion seedlings & nutrition | Active |
Wholesale & produce market
| Unit / brand | City | Activity | Key products | Export status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sohrab Pahlavan Supply Unit | Dargaz | Bulk supply & mesh sorting | Grade-1 yellow onion (30+ t) | Wholesale |
| Alireza Gholami Wholesale | Dargaz | Native onion distribution | Sorted red & pink onion | Wholesale |
| Dargaz Central Produce Market Stalls | Dargaz | Commission & seasonal loading | Yellow/red onion; daily veg | Wholesale |
Value-chain gaps & market structure
The gap between resilient native fields and an empty industrial downstream forces field-edge distress sales at harvest peaks; drought years cut yields 30–35%. GI registration for Dargaz pink onion and co-op investment in onion lifters rank among top fixes.
A sorting hub between Dargaz and Lotfabad could load native onion straight into international trucks without provincial middlemen.
Strategic development outlook
| Priority | Action | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Harvest mechanisation | Shared onion lifter for co-ops | Less sun damage & labour cost |
| Export sort & pallet | Joint Lotfabad–Dargaz pack shed | Direct Turkmenistan loads |
| Small processing | Frozen fried & dehydrator lines in industrial park | Absorb seasonal surplus |
| Geographical indication | Register Dargaz pink onion GI | Brand premium for farmers |
Iranco specialists can connect you with active players in this chain.