Tehran - Iran's agriculture minister announced on Tuesday that the country has significantly strengthened its food security resilience, with domestic production now covering approximately 85% of national food requirements.

 

Speaking to journalists in the Iranian capital Tehran, Gholamreza Nouri said the food supply chain has operated without interruption despite overlapping crises, including severe drought, trade and maritime restrictions, and wartime disruptions.

 

He credited nearly five million farmers, livestock breeders, nomads, and rural workers for maintaining output, with imports reserved only for certain inputs and raw materials.

 

Nouri reported notable gains in protein production. Poultry output rose 19% in the government's first year and continued growing into the second, allowing Iran to move beyond self-sufficiency and begin exporting chicken meat.

 

"Production of eggs, raw milk, and red meat has also increased, curbing import volumes for several categories."

 

Aquaculture, particularly shrimp, along with horticulture, tropical fruits, and greenhouse farming have all seen growth, the minister added.

 

“Efforts are also underway to reduce reliance on imported bananas and hybrid seeds.”

 

While acknowledging drought as a persistent threat—especially to wheat yields—Nouri said the sector has adapted through expanded mechanization, advanced irrigation technologies, improved farming practices, and applied research.

 

“During recent supply disruptions, emergency measures secured the flow of essential goods and farm inputs, including the clearance of roughly three million tons of supplies from northern ports.”

 

Concluding his remarks, Nouri reaffirmed that boosting domestic production, cutting import dependency, and enhancing food system resilience will remain the cornerstone of Iran's agricultural policy, emphasizing that continued cooperation across the production chain is vital to sustaining progress.