Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec.9/ Trend F.Milad/
Iran has imported some 4.5 million tons of wheat in the first eight months of current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 20, Mehr News Agency quotes Iran's State Commerce Organization Managing Director Abbas Qobadi as saying on Sunday.
Iran imported the mentioned amount of wheat from U.S., Kazakhstan, Russia, Canada, Brazil, Ukraine, and Germany, he said.
According to Qobadi, some 2-2.5 million tons of wheat is expected to be consumed by the end of the year.
It is while Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) had mentioned in its latest report that Iran wheat imports in the new marketing year are forecasted at 1.7 million tons, some 10 percent below the previous year, mainly due to higher carryover stocks following large purchases in the early months of 2012.
Total cereal imports, however, are forecasted to remain high at 7.5 million tons, consisting of maize, wheat and rice.
Iran's state grain buyer continues to build its strategic stocks in light of increased international prices and concerns about domestic food security. Reports indicate that in September 2012 Iran made large purchases of cereals on the international markets. Discussions are underway with specific trading partners.
Facing budgetary concerns, the Government attempted to phase out the subsidy program. Although some subsidies for staples (milk, bread, rice, vegetables, yoghurt) remain in place, food prices have generally increased.
The latest official information available from the Central Bank published for the period from March 21 to April 20, 2012, indicates that the food and beverage price inflation reached 33 percent relative to the same time period in 2011, and 5.3 percent relative to the preceding month in 2012. The year on year increase in 2011 for the same period was 25.3 percent.