Akhavan Akbari, the head of the Iranian Rice Importers Association, has said that Iran has fully banned imports of rice into the country.
The decision was made in a bid to create a balance in trade with exporting countries, Akhavan said according to Tasnim news agency.
He noted that Iran bans the imports of rice while a recent report by the country’s statistical center said that the annual point-to-point inflation of the Iranian domestic rice stood at 123.1% in the calendar month of Azar (November 22 – December 21), putting the figure for the imported rice at 45.9%.
Iran has imported nearly 1.274 million tons of rice since the beginning of this calendar year (March 21, 2022), He said, cited figures by Iran Customs Administration. Noting that the country needs an annual 1.5 million tons of rice imports, Akhavan said that some 250,000 tons of rice has yet to be imported into Iran by the end of the year.
A half of the Iranian population rely on imported foreign rice which is cheaper than the crop cultivated in the country, he said, adding that any ban or limit on the imports of the crop will tighten living standards of the Iranian population.
Noting that rice is the second main crop used by the Iranians after wheat, he advised the officials to consult with the Iranian Rice Importers Association before making any such decisions behind closed doors.