Iran Has Never Been So Dependent On Grain Imports – Official

The head of the Flour Producers Association says this year Iran must import 20 million tons of grain, noting that the country has never been so dependent on imports.

Mohammad-Reza Mortazavi said on Monday that grain imports will include 6 to 7 million tons of wheat, as Iranian state media rejected rumors on Tuesday that bread prices will increase following the elimination of subsidies.

According to data by Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization grain imports stood at 16.5 million tons last year, about half of which was wheat while the rest were barley, corn and rice.

Referring to a five-fold increase in flour prices by the Agriculture Ministry, was expected, but “it would be better if the government first examined its effect on prices of other commodities”. Pasta prices officially increased as much as threefold on Monday.

He added that most of the country's wheat imports this year will come from “Russia or the Baltic states and even Europe”, highlighting that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to a global rise in wheat prices as well as almost all other agricultural produce. Ukraine and Russia account for more than a quarter of global wheat exports and nearly a fifth of corn.

In March, Nour News, affiliated with the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Shamkhani, reported that Iran has signed a deal with Russia to import 20 million tons of basic goods, including vegetable oil, wheat, barley and corn.