Iran’s 6-month wheat imports surpass $983m

TEHRAN,Oct.14(MNA) - Iran imported over $983 million worth of wheat from 16 countries in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 20. The imports showed 189 times rise in weight and 234 time rise in value compared to the same period last year. Switzerland, Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Kazakhstan were the main exporters of wheat to Iran. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Iran’s rice output will remain unchanged at 2.4 million tons, but wheat output will decline by 4 percent to reach 13.5 million tons. Total Iran's cereal imports, however, are forecast to remain high at 7.3 million tons, consisting of maize, wheat and rice. In August, Press TV quoted the advisor to the minister of Agricultural Jihad as saying that Iran is the 12th leading producer of wheat in the world. Javad Hosseini said that the wheat yield will be sufficient for the domestic use.