TEHRAN – Cereal production in Iran is expected to grow 13.5 percent in 2022, while the production of such products in the world is seen to drop 0.6 percent, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation report released on July 8.

Based on the said report, the Islamic Republic is expected to produce 20.3 million tons of cereals in 2022, 2.4 million tons more than the figure for the previous year in which the total production stood at 17.9 million tons.

“Although crops in center-southern regions of Iran suffered from drier-than-average conditions, rainfall in the rest of the country was generally favorable, and total cereal production is estimated at 20.3 million tons, about three percent below the average,” the report said.

Back in May, FAO released a report in which Iran was ranked 43rd in the world in terms of food imports despite being the 17th most populous country in the world.

Based on the FAO data, the Islamic Republic of Iran imported only $8.3 billion worth of food products in 2020, indicating that Iran is self-reliant in terms of agricultural and food products.

FAO statistics show that industrialized countries were the largest importers of food products in the world. 

According to FAO, Iran currently stands among the world’s top producers of agricultural products.

EF/MA