TEHRAN – The head of Iran’s Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization said the country will become self-sufficient in the production of many strategic agricultural products in the next 10 years, IRIB reported.

“In the horizon of [the Iranian calendar year] 1411, i.e. 10 years from now, in many strategic products, we will either be on the verge of self-sufficiency or become completely self-sufficient,” Khayam Nekouei said in a televised interview on Sunday.

Mentioning the compilation of a comprehensive document on food security by the government, the official said: “Based on this document, for the next 10 years we expect to achieve complete self-sufficiency in the production of wheat, sugar, beans and barley.”

According to Nekouei, Iran currently produces about 125 million tons of agricultural products and the figure will reach 165 million tons in the Iranian calendar year 1411 (begin in late March 2032).

The official put the current annual imports of agricultural products into the country at about $16 billion.

EF/MA