Iran urges removal of barriers to agricultural exports to Russia

Iran urges removal of barriers to agricultural exports to Russia

TEHRAN – Iranian Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh met with Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Nikolaevna Lut in Moscow to discuss bilateral agricultural cooperation and emphasized the need to address barriers hindering Iran’s agricultural exports to Russia.

During the meeting on Thursday, January 16, Nouri highlighted Iran's extensive agricultural capabilities and described agriculture and food as key pillars of economic ties between the two countries. He proposed establishing a joint agricultural cooperation committee to strengthen collaboration in areas such as farming, horticulture, fisheries, forestry, natural resource protection, research, education, and advanced agricultural technologies, including seed and livestock breeding innovations.

Nouri urged Russia to prioritize importing certain agricultural products from Iran rather than from other regions and expressed Iran's readiness to attract Russian investment in joint agricultural projects.

Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut praised Iran's strides toward self-sufficiency in agricultural and food production, noting its continuous advancements in agricultural technologies. Lut expressed Russia's willingness to collaborate in joint projects focused on seed, sapling, and livestock breeding, as well as enhancing self-sufficiency across various agricultural industries.

She also highlighted the potential for expanding cooperation in biotechnology, technology transfer, and agricultural education, emphasizing the importance of engaging skilled specialists and young talent in agriculture.

Addressing export challenges, Lut assured that Russia is committed to resolving issues and announced plans to dispatch a high-ranking technical delegation to Tehran to address plant and animal quarantine concerns.

During his visit to Moscow, Nouri also met with officials from major Russian banks and financial institutions to discuss facilitating trade for Iranian agricultural exporters and exploring avenues for bilateral agricultural and financial cooperation.

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photo: Iranian Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh (2nd L) met with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Thursday, January 16.

source: tehrantimes.com