Ataollah Hashemi, head of the National Wheat Farmers Foundation, announced on Thursday, July 25, that the government’s debt to wheat farmers has reached 1,040 trillion rials (approximately $1.762 billion). He said, “With wheat production reaching 9.1 million tons, the government has a commitment of 1,570 trillion rials (approximately $2.661 billion) to farmers, of which only 530 trillion rials (approximately $898 million) has been paid, leaving 68% of the government’s debt to farmers unpaid.”
In an interview with the regime’s Sanapress website, Hashemi criticized the Planning and Budget Organization, stating that it “does not prioritize agriculture and the payment of this sector’s claims.” He added, “Farmers should be paid within three days, and if this deadline is missed, they should be compensated with medium-term loan interest.”
He referred to the “poor condition of farmers” and added, “There is a farmer who delivered wheat three months ago but has not yet received any money. This means that a person who has worked on the crop for nine months, with all kinds of expenses like family costs and debts for the next cultivation, is now left with his life in disarray.”
In this interview, Hashemi accused “government officials” and “planners” of “having a greater inclination towards imports.”
Hashemi criticized Davood Manzoor, the current head of the Planning and Budget Organization, stating that he “does not believe in production, prefers imports, and brings up impressive justifications in meetings.”
He concluded by announcing the deadline set by the Wheat Farmers Foundation for the government to pay its debt to farmers by Thursday, warning that the institution will file a complaint with the Administrative Justice Court and the Inspection Organization on Saturday, July 27.
Earlier, on Wednesday, July 24, the Chairman of the Parliament’s Agriculture Committee had reported that wheat farmers were owed 1,020 trillion rials (approximately $1.728 billion) by the government.
According to Tasnim News Agency, Mohammad Javad Askari had said, “More than 8 million tons of wheat worth 1,550 trillion rials (approximately $2.627 billion) have been purchased from farmers, but only 530 trillion rials (approximately $898 million) has been paid.”
He mentioned the promises made by government officials, stating that all the farmers’ claims are to be paid by the end of the week, on Friday.
In recent months, government officials have repeatedly promised to pay all the farmers’ claims, but no practical action has been taken in this regard.
This issue has exacerbated the financial problems of farmers, leading to their protests.
Previously, reports from Iran indicated that at least 200 wheat farmers had gathered in front of the Khuzestan governor’s office in Ahvaz on June 5 to protest the non-payment of their claims.
