Agricultural exports hit $8b, minister says
Iran’s Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri-Qezeljeh said Sunday that agricultural exports reached $8 billion as he reported a significant growth in the export of the country’s agricultural products.
"Exports in this sector were $5 billion last year, (which began on March 21, 2024). The $3 billion growth in exports indicates new momentum in target markets and strengthening of trade diplomacy in the agricultural sector," Nouri-Qezeljeh was quoted by Mehr news agency as saying on the sidelines of a meeting with provincial governors and agricultural officials from northern provinces in Sari.
The minister also stressed that a major portion of the country's food security has been secured via the imports of essential goods and agricultural items.
“So far, $16 billion worth of goods have been imported to meet the country's essential needs, which has played an important role in market regulation and supplying public necessities,” Nouri-Qezeljeh said.
“Currently, 85 percent of the country's food security by weight is supplied through domestic production and only 15 percent depends on imports. In terms of economic value as well, 80 percent of the country's food needs rely on domestic production and 20 percent is supplied through imports,” he added.
Referring to earlier methods of securing agricultural inputs, the minister said, “In certain periods, the import of inputs was carried out through channels such as sailors, personal currency transfers and barter, but now a legal framework for broader use of the barter method has been provided.”
"Despite this capacity being available to individuals, full utilization has not occurred and it is necessary to identify and remove its executive obstacles," he added.