An Agriculture Ministry contractor for purchase of wheat said on Thursday that the minimum support price for purchase of wheat from the farmers of Iran this season would increase by 50 percent to reach 2.5 million rials (nearly $14) per 100 kg, Press TV reported.

Esmaeil Esfandiarpour said that the guaranteed purchase price (GPP) announced by the government for wheat this year would mean that at least 10.5 million metric tons of the crop would be bought from the farmers.

“Our estimates are not finished yet and the figures could rise,” said Esfandiarpour, adding that higher precipitation this year could increase the yields although he insisted that more weeds and pests were a major issue for some farms across the country.

This is a second time since the harvest season last year that the Iranian government has raised the buying price for wheat.

A GPP of 22,000 rials per kilogram announced in late September had sparked criticisms and concerns that many farmers would choose to sell their wheat to animal farmers who use the crop as feed.

There were also concerns that a low minimum price for wheat could lead to more illegal trafficking of the crop across the borders where demand for cheap wheat has increased in the neighboring countries.

Iran has managed to maintain a satisfying level of self-sufficiency in the production of wheat and several other key strategic crops over the past years.

The country expects at least 15 percent more wheat production this year at 14 million metric tons.