Tehran ready for long-term agri cooperation with Kazakhstan, China
Minister of Agriculture Gholamreza Nouri-Ghezeljeh expressed Iran's readiness to develop long-term cooperation with Kazakhstan and China in the agricultural sector.
Speaking at the Astana International Forum (AIF), Nouri-Ghezeljeh emphasized Iran's geopolitical position, its neighborhood with countries like Kazakhstan, as well as China's economic capacity, describing the points as foundations for mutually beneficial long-term cooperation, Mehr reported.
"Iran shares this privileged position with its friends and neighbors, facilitating east-west and north-south transit routes for agricultural products from these countries to other parts of the world," the agriculture minister added.
Noting that Iran and Kazakhstan possess special agricultural advantages, he stated that his country "with its fertile lands across various regions, particularly in northern and central areas featuring a four-season climate and unparalleled agricultural diversity produces over 130 million tons of agricultural products annually."
"Agricultural processing and complementary industries in Iran have also reached advanced development levels, with over 10 million tons of diverse agricultural products exported worldwide each year," he said.
Highlighting deep economic, cultural, and religious ties between Iran and Kazakhstan, Nouri-Ghezeljeh announced joint efforts with Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakaliyev, toward comprehensive development of bilateral economic relations.
Regarding relations with China, the Iranian minister remarked, "Economic stakeholders alongside research, scientific, and technical organizations in the agricultural sectors of both the Islamic Republic of Iran and the People’s Republic of China have established extensive relations.”
According to the minister, under the current administration of the Islamic Republic of Iran, “new horizons have opened in this regard, with current bilateral agricultural trade volume with China standing at approximately $1.5 billion."
He also referenced Iran's strong agricultural trade ties with Pakistan, noting annual bilateral trade with that country hit about $2 billion.