Tehran, Iran, July 4
By Kamyar Eghbalnejad, A. Shirazi - Trend:
Mohammad Reza Mortazavi, the head of the Federation of Iranian Food Industry Association, said the country is expected to witness a 10-15 percent growth in food production in the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21).
“Given the strict rules on prepared food’s delivery into Iran, we will experience a 10-15 percent growth in the country’s food production this year,” Mortazavi told Trend on July 4.
When asked about the impact of impending US sanctions on Iran’s food industry, he said, “Small and medium-sized industries like food industries will not be affected as much as the other industries. We predict long-term ties with our European partners”.
He further said Iran’s food export has not witnessed a decline.
“The market of food industries is important to people and we have been able to manage this market and protect it from the shock waves (caused by the US moves against the country)”.
US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was reached in 2015 between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.
Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.