Iran – The Iranian government has launched a five-year initiative to significantly increase rice production, a deputy minister said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Alireza Mohajer said the project will be launched  by Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation, and agricultural organizations in the northern provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan.

Mohajer announced that preparations for the project's pilot phase are underway in the target provinces.

The initial phase will cover 2,500 hectares and is projected to produce 14,380 tons of paddy and 8,628 tons of milled rice in its first year, he said.