TEHRAN, Iran, April 11. Iran is seeking to increase rice imports in the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2022), the Secretary of Iranian Rice Importers Association, Masih Keshavarz told Trend.
"Iran has imported 1 million tons of rice in the last Iranian year (started March 21, 2021) but the volume was 400,000 tons less than predictions and the government should compensate for the deficit by accelerating rice imports," he said.
He went on to say that the global rice price has grown about 10 to 20 percent which would lead to an increase in imported rice consumer price by 400,000 rials (about $9.5) per kilos.
Iran imports rice mostly from Pakistan and India since the products are favored by the people more than products of other countries and due to low transportation costs.
"The private sector's rice reserves for April and May supply has run out and it’s the time to import rice," he noted.