Agricultural Exports Grow 33% Amid Push for Technology and Self-Sufficiency

TEHRAN (Iran News) Speaking at a specialized meeting with agricultural business leaders in Malayer County, Nouri-Qazaljeh underlined the crucial role of exports in advancing technology and improving productivity.

“If well managed, we can connect even small-scale rural livestock production to export chains. Exports drive technology transfer, enhance efficiency, regulate markets, and integrate us with the global economy,” the minister said.

Nouri-Qazaljeh clarified that issues related to illegal water wells lie outside his ministry’s authority.

“According to the law, we plan agricultural activity based on the water resources allocated by the Ministry of Energy,” he noted, underscoring the need for coordinated water management.

He also announced plans to reform the “Bazargah” platform—an online marketplace for agricultural inputs—describing current operations as disorganized.

“Bazargah should function like a commodities exchange, yet today producers must buy through intermediaries. We are redesigning it to link directly with banks for financing,” he said.

Despite logistical challenges, the minister stated that no shortages of agricultural inputs currently exist.

“Supply of essential inputs has increased by 10–15% compared with previous years,” he said.

He also highlighted progress in facilitating the purchase of farm machinery:

“After three years of delays, the tractor loan program has resumed thanks to new policy measures.”

Nouri-Qazaljeh stressed the importance of supporting smallholder and rural producers, noting a 22% increase in the distribution of subsidized inputs to rural areas over the past year.

He reassured farmers that chemical fertilizers are now fully available and that restrictions on subsidized fertilizer distribution, previously in place, were lifted last year.

Reiterating the country’s long-standing emphasis on self-sufficiency in food production, the minister said: “Food security cannot be achieved through imports alone. We must move toward technologies that, for example, allow us to produce one kilogram of crops using as little as three liters of water.”

He pointed to the expansion of greenhouse farming as a key strategy for sustainable production.

“Greenhouses produce six times more crops while using one-sixth the water compared to traditional farming,” he explained.

Nouri-Qazaljeh also said that the government had successfully managed the New Year holiday market supply without imposing additional costs on the state budget.

The minister emphasized the government’s commitment to combatting corruption and inefficiency in the agricultural sector.

“We are reforming any processes that waste national resources,” he said.

While pledging support for high-tech agribusinesses, he also stressed that small rural producers must not be marginalized.

“We are committed to practical and equitable policies to ensure fair opportunities for all producers,” he stated.

Nouri-Qazaljeh highlighted the role of agricultural exports in generating foreign currency and expressed optimism about the potential removal of foreign-exchange commitments on agricultural exports in the near future.

He called for a focus on “national cohesion” to advance the country’s development agenda.

“The slogan of national cohesion and sacred unity paves the way for progress. Today, it is evident that the Iranian people support the nation’s system, and we must move forward in harmony, free from political divisions,” he said.

The minister praised the spirit of cooperation and synergy in Malayer, describing it as a source of “prosperity and blessing” for the region.

“The history and civility of this city are evident everywhere,” he added.

Nouri-Qazaljeh’s remarks underscore the Iranian government’s focus on leveraging exports as a driver of innovation and market integration, while reinforcing its commitment to self-reliance, equitable rural development, and efficient resource management as the foundation for sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.