Iran Rice Imports Down 4.21% (Mar-Oct 2018)

EghtesadOnline: About 958,000 tons of wholly or semi-milled rice worth $985.4 million were imported into Iran during the first seven months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Oct. 22) to register a 12.54% and 4.21% decline in weight and value respectively compared with the similar period of last year.

News ID: ۷۸۴۳۱۸

13 November 2018

The latest data were released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.

This amount of rice purchases accounted for 5.06% and 3.75% of the respective volume and value of Iran’s total imports over the seven-month period, Mehr News Agency reported.

Iranians consume 3.2 million tons of rice every year. Domestic production stands at 2.2 million tons, according to Financial Tribune.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s September report, Iran is the biggest producer of rice in the Near East sub-region followed by Turkey and Afghanistan.

Iran mainly imports rice from India, Pakistan and Thailand.

Indian media reported this week that the country is looking at a barter system to export rice to Iran following the exemption given to New Delhi by the United States to continue importing oil from Iran.

Last year, India exported $4.17 billion worth of basmati rice and Iran was the largest buyer of rice with $905 million.