Iran to need to import 4.5 mln tons of wheat by end of year

Iran is expected to significantly increase its wheat imports between the beginning of the calendar year and the end of March amid lower domestic production due to drought and low government purchase prices.

Ataullah Hashemi, head of the National Syndicate of Iranian Wheat Farmers, said on Sunday that Iran’s wheat imports through the end of March are expected to be around 4.5 million metric tons, Press TV reported.

He said Iran’s domestic wheat production fell by 5 million tons, or 31 percent, to nearly 11 million tons annually between April and August. He added that government purchases of locally produced wheat fell by 4.4 million tons, or 36 percent, to 7.6 million tons during the same period.

Hashemi said the value of wheat purchased from Iranian farmers this year was around 1,600 trillion rials ($1.74 billion).

The decline in the domestic wheat harvest was largely due to drought that has affected arid areas across Iran, he said, and because government purchase prices were lower than free market prices.

In April, Iran’s agriculture ministry said the country could be forced to import up to 6 million tons of wheat this calendar year to meet growing domestic demand for the grain.

Last year, Iran spent more than $3 billion to purchase nearly 12 million tons of wheat from its own farmers.

The record harvest has allowed the government to claim self-sufficiency in wheat production and avoid large imports from countries like Russia.

Tags: Iran, wheat