In a recent development that has sparked concerns within the agricultural sector, an official from the Iranian Chamber of Commerce has criticized the Minister of Agriculture’s decision to reduce the guaranteed purchase rate for wheat by two thousand tomans. This move, deemed incongruent with the economic realities of society, is raising fears about its potential impact on Iran’s food security.
Haman Hashemi, speaking to the ‘Arsheh Online’ website on January 18, emphasized the strategic significance of wheat as a national product, influencing not only the economy but also employment and food security. Hashemi argued that any decision regarding the purchase price of wheat would have a cascading effect across various sectors, potentially discouraging farmers and posing a threat to the nation’s overall food security.
The Minister of Jihad Agriculture had announced on January 17 that, based on ‘collective wisdom,’ the guaranteed purchase price for wheat had been approved at 17,500 tomans. This decision, however, has been met with criticism from various quarters, including Mansour Ali Zarei Kiapi, a member of the parliamentary supervisory committee in the pricing council.
Kiapi, in a conversation with the Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency (ICANA), asserted that the decrease in the guaranteed purchase price of wheat contradicts existing laws. According to him, the regime’s announcement of 17,500 tomans is in violation of the approved price of 19,500 tomans as per the minutes of the pricing council meeting.
This controversy is not the first of its kind, as the guaranteed purchase rate of wheat has been a persistent issue between the regime and wheat farmers in recent years. Last year, the wheat price was set at 15,000 tomans, prompting representatives and activists in the agricultural sector to advocate for an increase of at least 2,000 tomans. Despite promises from the regime’s President Ebrahim Raisi to revise the guaranteed purchase rate, no tangible action was taken.
As stakeholders continue to voice their concerns over the perceived discrepancies in wheat pricing, the regime’s approach to this issue remains under scrutiny. The outcome of this dispute may not only impact the livelihoods of farmers but also have far-reaching consequences for Iran’s food security in the long run.
