Referring to overnight decisions made in the Iranian agricultural market, an official urged the need for further role of the country’s chamber of commerce and other parts of the private sector to organize this part of the economy.
“Before the rise in global wheat prices, the private sector offered the government to buy the wheat needed by the country,” Mohammad Reza Mortazavi, the chairman of the board of directors of Iran Food Industries Association was quoted as saying by ILNA news agency.
He said that the country has bought some 4.5 million tons of the needed wheat so far.
Noting that Iran’s wheat consumption stands at 12 million tons a year, the official said that the rest of the country’s need for wheat will be supplied over the next few months.
Mortazavi said that Iran needs to import part of its need for wheat as the country is grappling with drought and a significant part of the domestic production of wheat is being used as animal feed.
Referring to increased prices of corn, he said that it is more economical for animal farmers to use wheat.
He also noted that the Iranian rain-fed wheat farms have suffered a 40% loss due to drought which he said increases the need for imports of the grain.
The official added that the farmers need support from government to meet their needs for buying tractor, pesticides, fertilizers, and animal feed.