Iran produces record 14.1m tons of wheat in H1
Iran has produced 14.1 million metric tons of wheat in nearly six months, a record level, Deputy Agriculture Minister said on Sunday.
“So far this year, for the first time in history, we achieved wheat production of 14.1 million tons in the country, which is a significant figure,” Majid Anjafi said, referring to the Persian calendar year that began on March 21, according to IRNA.
Anjafi described the agricultural sector’s performance in producing essential commodities as highly successful.
“Current trends show that productivity and increased production in the agricultural sector are on the rise,” he said.
According to Agriculture Ministry data, Iran cultivated nearly 11.7 million tons of wheat last year, of which about 7.8 million tons was purchased by the government under a guaranteed procurement program.
Anjafi said 85% of the country’s food needs are now met through domestic production, while only 15% of food products are supplied through imports, highlighting the agricultural sector’s capacity to contribute to food security.
He also pointed to the difficult conditions facing agriculture last year because of drought.
“Despite drought, uneven rainfall, economic difficulties, sanctions and conditions resulting from the US war against the country, agricultural and horticultural output surged by a total of 7 million tons through the efforts of nearly 10,000 farmers, researchers, experts and managers,” he said.
Anjafi said the production sustainability program should not be limited to wheat and should also be planned for pulses, medicinal plants and other crops suited to the capacity of dryland farms.
He described the development and promotion of crops grown in dryland areas as a priority for the agricultural sector, saying sustained production required serious attention to dryland farming.
In provinces where the program has been pursued more actively, farmers have adopted modern farming methods using the latest research findings as well as new machinery and technologies, he said.