TEHRAN: The Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) banned any registration for imports of rice until further notice, IRNA reported. “Regarding the mass imports of rice, more than one million tons, during the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21- August 22, 2017), which surpassed domestic consumption and pulled market into recession, no further order registration should be allowed,” Iranian Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati wrote to Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari on December 20. Accordingly, IRICA announced on Sunday that registration for imports of rice is forbidden until further notice due to the order of agriculture minister and exports and imports regulations of Iran Trade Promotion organization (TPO). Iran harvests 2.4 million tons of rice per year after improving its second crop (in October), according to IRNA. The country has imported above one million tons of rice since the beginning of the year.
