Reza Nourani, the head of the Iranian regime’s National Union of Agricultural Products, told the state-run ILNA news agency that the country’s agricultural trade balance remains negative this year.
Referring to the 10-month statistics up to January 2025, he stated that agricultural imports have significantly exceeded exports.
Export and Import Statistics
According to Nourani, during this 10-month period, approximately 8.356 million tons of agricultural products worth $6.662 billion were exported from the country.
In comparison, during the same period last year, exports amounted to approximately 6.834 million tons, valued at $4.946 billion. Therefore, export volume increased by 22%, and its value rose by 34%.
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On the other hand, agricultural imports during the same period reached 20.224 million tons, valued at $13.117 billion.
These figures indicate a 5% decrease in import volume and a 12% decline in value compared to the previous year.
Negative Trade Balance
By comparing these statistics, Iran’s agricultural trade balance remains negative. Nourani emphasized that this situation reflects the dominance of imports over exports in the agricultural sector.
One of the major challenges in the agricultural trade sector is the widespread smuggling of almonds and walnuts into Iran.
According to the state-run Fararu website, about 90% of walnuts and almond kernels enter Iran illegally through the country’s southern ports, particularly Ganaveh, Bandar Abbas, and Bushehr.
As reported by this source, in addition to harming domestic producers, the lack of health inspections on these products could pose a risk to consumer health.
Massoud Soleimani, Secretary of the Iranian Association for Nut, Dried Fruit, and Spice Supply and Packaging, stated:
“Currently, 40,000 tons of walnuts and 50,000 tons of almonds are smuggled into the country. This not only generates enormous profits for the smuggling mafia but also inflicts serious damage on domestic suppliers and producers.”
Nourani, referring to the ban on importing certain products such as almonds and walnut kernels, stated that these restrictions have led to an increase in smuggling.
He stressed that revising trade and import policies could help prevent smuggling and improve the country’s trade balance.
However, the inefficiency of the governance system remains the root cause of all the crises affecting Iranian society.
