TEHRAN- The Deputy Minister of Agriculture stated that despite disruptions caused by the war, over 4 million tons of essential goods are available in the country.

Mohamadreza Talaei, Deputy Minister for Commercial Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, told Tasnim News Agency regarding the status of essential goods supply: "At the start of the 12-day war, there were about 6 million tons of essential goods in the country, including ports, warehouses, and ships – a volume we did not even have under normal circumstances."

He added: "With the outbreak of war, and especially due to restrictions imposed on maritime transport routes, the unloading of goods at Imam Khomeini Port faced challenges. Under normal circumstances, 6 to 7 ships were unloaded per week, but at one point, this number dropped to 1 to 2 ships, and for a period, unloading operations even came to a halt."

The Deputy Minister of Commercial Development at the Ministry Agriculture continued: "About a month into the war, traders and executive bodies activated alternative routes, and even under those conditions, the arrival of ships continued. Simultaneously, the activity of northern ports increased significantly, such that in recent months, over 2 to 3 million tons of goods have been imported through northern ports compared to the same period last year."

Referring to the use of land routes, Talaei said: "Part of the goods entered the country through the borders of Pakistan, Bazargan, as well as via Mersin, Turkey, and the Bazargan border, and these collective measures allowed the supply process of essential goods to continue without interruption."

He clarified: "Currently, over 4 million tons of essential goods are available in the country, in ports and warehouses, and this inventory is under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture."

Regarding the ownership of imported goods, Talaei stated: "Part of these goods belongs to the private sector, but because their required foreign currency is provided by the government, the import and distribution process is under government supervision."

Referring to the increase in transportation costs during the war, he said: "Providing food for the people is a priority for the government under any circumstances, and this process continued during the war."

In conclusion, Talaei stated: "With the implementation of recent agreements and the normalization of transportation conditions, it is expected that the total cost of imports will decrease, which will consequently moderate prices and increase the speed of goods supply."

MA