Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture has announced that the country is set to harvest a record-breaking 2.7 million metric tons of rice in the upcoming weeks, marking a significant 26% increase from the previous year’s yield.
With rice cultivation covering approximately 750,000 hectares of land, 70% of the production is concentrated in the northern provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan.
The surge in rice production is attributed to various factors including government support, the use of genetically-modified seeds, mechanization, and improved farming techniques.
This increase in domestic rice production will help reduce Iran’s reliance on imports from countries like India and Pakistan. In recent years, the government has successfully cut down on imports due to higher crop yields.
As per Iranian customs data, rice imports amounted to over 1 million metric tons valued at more than $1 billion in the last calendar year. India was the main supplier, followed by Pakistan and other countries.
The total annual demand for rice in Iran stands at around 3.5 million metric tons, with most of the supply sourced from provinces along the Caspian Sea coast.
With these significant advancements in rice production, Iran is poised to become more self-sufficient in meeting its domestic demand.
Source: MA/Press TV