Iran Invests in Agricultural Industries, Mechanization

The head of Iran's Center for Agricultural Mechanization and Industries, affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture, announced an investment of IRR 180 trillion (US$225 million) in agricultural industries and mechanization since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 2024). He emphasized that these efforts have significantly reduced raw material exports, improved resource efficiency, and created jobs across the country.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, Karim Zolfaghari made these remarks on Monday during a meeting with directors of agro-industrial and mechanized technology sectors. Highlighting the extensive activities in this domain across provinces, he stated that there are currently 1,700 projects underway in agricultural processing and complementary industries.

Zolfaghari referred to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s emphasis on preventing the export of unprocessed agricultural products, saying: "Raw material exports in agriculture are not just an economic issue but also lead to the depletion of the country’s fundamental resources, including soil, water, and agricultural inputs.”

Since the start of the year, over 180 trillion rials have been invested in agricultural processing and mechanization industries, with IRR 32 trillion (US$40 million) in loans allocated for purchasing agricultural machinery, according to Zolfaghari.

He further noted that private investors contributed more than 85% of the IRR 140 trillion (US$175 million) invested during the first half of the year (March to September).

The Agriculture Ministry has been active across all stages of production, from land preparation to harvesting. "Currently, over 5,000 agro-processing and complementary units are under development, with progress ranging from 40% to 90% completion. Private investors have poured more than IRR 3.0 trillion (US$3.75 million) into these projects," Zolfaghari added.

He highlighted the outcomes of these investments, stating that over 30 million tons of raw agricultural materials have been integrated into processing industries, creating employment opportunities for 240,000 individuals in this sector. - Tehran Times