The northern Gilan and Mazandaram provinces account for 71% of Iran’s rice production, according to figures released in a recent report published by the Statistical Center of Iran.
The report shows Mazandaran accounts for 38% and Gilan for 33% of the country’s overall rice production.
The two provinces were followed by Khuzestan with 11% and Fars and Golestan with 4% each. The remaining 10% are cultivated in other Iranian provinces.
The report also shows that during the last Iranian year (March 2018-19), more than 1.96 million tons of rice were produced in Iran and around 1.65 million tons were imported.
Iranian households consumed more than 1.33 million tons of domestically produced rice and some 1.3 million tons of imported rice during the period under review.
According to the report, Iran exported around 1,961 tons of rice last year.
Iran has reportedly achieved self-sufficiency in rice production this year.
It is estimated that rice production will increase 42% this year to reach between 2.9-3 million tons. This will meet the entire domestic demand and there will be no need for imports, according to deputy agriculture minister for planning and economic affairs.
“Due to good climatic conditions this year, land under rice cultivation was increased from more than 600,000 hectares to around 830,000 hectares, showing a 38.33% growth,” Abdolmehdi Bakhshandeh was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Abundant rainfall at the beginning of the current Iranian year (started March 21) has increased crop yields.
The official noted that rice harvest has come to an end in Iran's northern provinces and started in the south from Nov. 6.
“Some 960,000 tons of milled rice worth $1.1 billion were imported during the first half of the current Iranian year [March 21-Sept. 22], part of which will be used to fill up the country’s strategic reserves,” he said.
Rice is a staple food in Iran.
Bakhshandeh noted that based on latest figures released by the Statistical Center of Iran, per capita rice consumption for the Iranian population of around 82 million amounts to 35 kilos per annum.
This means that annual domestic demand is at 2.9 million tons.
Iran has been importing the difference between domestic production and demand from the UAE, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey and Iraq.
Agricultural and environmental experts have been urging the government for years to restrict rice farming to the water-rich provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran, and to ban the cultivation of the staple Iranian crop in the rest of the country.
Agricultural officials have expressed concerns regarding rice farming even in the north of the country where precipitation levels are relatively higher.
In February, Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hijjati said the government is going to place restrictions on the cultivation of crops in areas where underground water resources have reached alarming levels.
Later in June, the Cabinet decided that restrictions will be imposed on rice cultivation in Iranian provinces other than in the two northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran.
"Rice cultivation will first be restricted for three years as farmers will receive no facilities or support from the government in provinces other than Gilan and Mazandaran during that period,” Alimorad Akbari, deputy minister of agriculture for water and soil affairs, was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
After the three years, there will be an all-out ban on rice cultivation, except in Gilan and Mazandaran.
The official explained that Iran is an arid country and the rise and fall in precipitation levels are a characteristic of dry regions.
“We are facing climate change in Iran and therefore need to adopt a long-term vision to plan out cultivation patterns,” he said.
Every year and during the rice harvest season, the government bans rice imports in support of local farmers and domestic production.
