Iran returns to wheat imports after three-year hiatus

Iran has resumed wheat imports from Caspian Sea countries for the first time in three years, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Monday. The first batch of imported wheat arrived at the Amirabad port in the northern province of Mazandaran. The event marks a return to external supplies after a long hiatus caused by the country’s desire to rely on its own production.

The first batch, weighing nearly 5,000 tons, is part of a permit to import 30,000 tons of wheat, according to the head of the Mazandaran Grain and Commercial Services Department. The grain has already arrived at Amirabad’s Aprotector port and will soon be transported to provincial warehouses. The move is aimed at diversifying wheat supply sources and improving food quality amid recurring droughts and problems with local produce. Blending imported grain with domestically grown grain, officials said, should improve the quality of flour in the region.

The Caspian Sea countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, are key grain producers in the region. The resumption of imports from these countries was a response to challenges related to unstable local harvests and rising inflation, which has led to a sharp increase in bread prices in Iran. The local authorities in Mazandaran have also introduced increased control over the flour and bread supply chain, including the mandatory installation of GPS and cameras on flour transport vehicles to prevent theft and ensure transparency.

Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs Mohammad Ebrahim Tulai said that Iran is committed to modernizing local mills and improving the quality of subsidized bread. To this end, flour mills and bakeries will be provided with loans to upgrade equipment to use dual fuels and backup energy sources. The measures are aimed at strengthening food security and the stability of bread supplies in the face of economic difficulties.

Tags: wheat, imports, Iran