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Iran imports 10 million tons of agricultural products in H1

Business Materials 16 October 2012 14:57 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.16/ Trend F.Milad/

The chairman of the agriculture committee at the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines criticised importing 10 million tons of agricultural products in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 20.

Mohammad-Hossein Karimi told the ILNA News Agency that such a high volume of agricultural product imports is alarming.

According to Karimi, Iran has imported three million tons of wheat in the six-month period. Deputy industry, mine and trade minister Hamin Safdel also announced the same figure in his press conference yesterday.

It is being based on previous reports that Iran's wheat import stood at seven million tons in the first six months of the current year.

The wheat issue is very sensitive for Iran with 75.2 million people. Fars News Agency quoted Ghavami on Oct.2, saying that Iran imported seven million tons of its 12 million annual wheat demands during last six months (Iranian solar year begins in March 20).

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Iran's rice output will remain unchanged at 2.4 million tons, but wheat output will decline by four per cent to reach 13.5 million tons.

Total Iran's cereal imports however, are forecast to remain high at 7.3 million tons, consisting of maize, wheat and rice.

In August, Press TV quoted the advisor to the minister of Agricultural Jihad as saying that Iran is the 12th leading producer of wheat in the world.

Javad Hosseini said that the wheat yield will be sufficient for the domestic use.

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