Rice accounted for 5.74% and 4.44% of the weight and value of Iran’s total amount of imports over the period respectively, Mehr News Agency reported.
India and Pakistan are the main exporters of rice to Iran.
Iranians consume 3.2 million tons of rice a year while domestic production stands at around 2.2 million tons, according to Financial Tribune.
The two northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran are home to a majority of Iran’s paddy fields.
The government has been working to limit rice cultivation to these two northern provinces, which enjoy higher precipitation than other regions, amid a worsening case of water crisis.