Rice Imports Resume in Iran as Seasonal Ban Ends

Rice imports have resumed in Iran following a letter sent by Deputy Agriculture Minister Ali Akbar Mehrfard to the caretaker of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran Mohammad Reza Modoudi.
Mehrfard notified TPO that the seasonal ban on imports of the crop, a staple food in Iran, has come to an end, ILNA reported.
Every year and during the rice harvest season, the government bans rice imports in support of local farmers and domestic production.
Iranians consume 3.2 million tons of the staple food annually, less than 2 million tons of which are cultivated by local farmers.