TEHRAN - Head of Iran's Agricultural Mechanization Development Center Kambiz Abbasi has said over 33 trillion rials (about $785.7 million) of facilities have been paid to farmers for agricultural mechanization since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21).

According to Abbasi, investment in the field of agricultural mechanization has doubled in the current Iranian calendar year compared to the previous year, IRNA reported.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 4th International Agricultural Exhibition (Ifarm), Abbasi said: "Yesterday, seven trillion rials (about $166.6 million) of additional facilities have been allocated for agricultural mechanization to be provided to farmers in various provinces across the country."

The official noted that the approach of the Agricultural Mechanization Development Center is to move towards sustainability, adding: "We need to have production sustainability alongside the development of technology and equipment."

Back in October, Abbasi had announced that up to 95 percent of agricultural machinery in Iran is manufactured domestically.

According to the official, the country’s agricultural production has increased by 350 percent due to the implementation of the Agriculture Ministry’s mechanization programs.

EF/MA