Considering an anticipated rise in domestic rice production and last year reserves, Iran will need no more rice imports in the current calendar year to March 2025, according to a senior official with the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad (MAJ).
Iran’s import of rice and tea from India decreased by 34 and 65 percent in 2023 respectively compared to a year earlier, the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry said.
Iran’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ahmad Khani Norouzi said on Sunday that the county’s rice imports have decreased by 42% this year.
As much as 3.6 million metric tons (mt) of rice is annually consumed in Iran, according to a person with the knowledge of the matter.
Iran has significantly cut its rice imports this year as figures provided by the country’s customs office (IRICA) show shipments nearly halved in value terms in the four calendar months to late July.
Iran’s First Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber has called for necessary planning to produce rice, noting that the country’s next year imports of the grain will be subject to insufficient domestic production, IRNA news agency reported.
The Agriculture Ministry has banned rice imports until further notice, saying the measure is aimed at giving support to local farmers and balancing supply and demand in the market, deputy agriculture minister, Shapour Alaei, announced.
Figures by the Iranian customs office (IRICA) show that rice imports into the country fell significantly in April-May compared to the same period last year.
In order for Iran to be able to meet the needs for rice, the country has fully removed the obstacles on the imports of the crop, according to an official with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Akhavan Akbari, the head of the Iranian Rice Importers Association, has said that Iran has fully banned imports of rice into the country.