TEHRAN, Iran, July. 9
Trend:
The secretary of the Iranian Rice Importers Association announced the lifting of the ban on rice imports but said that the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad does not allow rice imports.
“The market regulation headquarters approved the lifting of the seasonal ban on rice import in its latest meeting,” the secretary of the Iranian Rice Importers Association Masih Keshavarz said, Trend reports citing ILNA.
He said in the same meeting, any decision regarding the lifting of the rice import ban was left to the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad.
“Despite the association's request, the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad has decided not to comply with the lifting of the ban on rice imports during the harvest season,” Keshavarz noted.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad's decision, the ban on rice import will be applied by mid-August.
"There are reasons for the need to lift the ban during the rice harvest season," he added. "The ban comes at a time when rice prices are at their lowest in the countries of origin, India and Pakistan, while the end of the ban coincides with an increase in prices.”
Keshavarz expressed that another reason for the need to lift the import ban is the drought that has affected rice production in Iran and will undoubtedly reduce supply.