Thanksgiving Ceremony for Bumper Harvest

President Hassan Rouhani said significant steps have been taken to ensure food security and self-sufficiency in the agriculture sector, which guarantee national security.

The president made the statement in a thanksgiving ceremony held on Monday for this year’s bumper harvest, ILNA reported.

“In the Iranian year 1392 [March 2013-14 when Rouhani became president], Iran produced 97 million tons of agricultural products. This year [started March 20, 2016], agricultural production has already reached 117 million tons,” he said.

Rouhani noted that over 14 million tons of wheat were produced this year, more than 11.5 million tons of which—worth 145 trillion rials or close to $4 billion in market exchange rates—were purchased by the government.

Iran was the 11th biggest producer of wheat worldwide in 2015 for the third consecutive year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

In its latest report on Iran’s agricultural sector, the Business Monitor International estimates that Iran’s wheat production will reach 16 million tons by 2019-20 and wheat yields are expected to improve, because of the use of modern technology, greater access to inputs and a larger area of the country benefiting from new irrigation facilities.

Not only did Iran attain self-sufficiency in wheat production this year, but with the production of 1.6 million tons of sugar, the country is no longer in need of importing the product, IRNA reported.

Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hijjati, who was also present at the ceremony, said by using modern technology and equipment, domestic production can further increase while conserving water and soil resources.