“During the past seven months of the current year, we have bought an excess of 10 million tons of wheat from Iranian farmers,” he added, saying some more 90,000 tons of the product will be bought up to the end of the current Iranian year.
The farmers have so far made a total $1.9 billion through selling their products, Sarkhu stressed.
The part of farm subsidies that was allocated to buy wheat from domestic producers was wholly invested this year, he said.
“Some part of the subsidy for wheat imports was even consumed inside.”
The government, which aims to cut wheat imports, agreed to grant $360,000 for the trade until March 2004, he stated.
ER/IS
END
MNA