Iran has stockpiled a roughly 10.5 million metric tons (mt) of different essential goods in last calendar year to late March, according to a deputy minister of agriculture.
Saeed Rad said that wheat stockpiles accounted for over 8.5 million mt of the basic goods stored up last year with some 2 million mt of edible oil, rice and sugar also stockpiled in the period.
With the rise in domestic production, Iran imported 3 million less essential goods last year compared to imports of the preceding year, the official noted, adding that the imports continue to decline this year.
The Iranian government purchased as much as 7.2 million mt of wheat from domestic farmers last year, up 60% YOY in comparison to 4.5 million mt of purchases in the preceding year, he said.
The official added that the government has purchased some 10.33 million mt of wheat from domestic farmers this year so far, registering a 44% year-on-year growth.
He also said that some 100,000 mt of different oil seeds were purchased from farmers across the country last year, 56% of which was produced in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.