The Iranian government expects to buy over 8.5 million metric tons of surplus wheat from domestic farmers this year under its guaranteed purchase program, according to the manager of the Agriculture Ministry’s “Wheat Project”.
 
"Currently, 5,950,000 hectares of farmlands are under wheat cultivation across the country, and we expect to purchase over 8.5 million tons of surplus wheat from our farmers this year," Sohrab Sohrabi said.  
 
In late March, Iran raised its guaranteed purchase price for domestically-grown wheat by 15% for the April-July harvest season.
 
At the time, the ministry its subsidiary the Government Trading Corporation (GTC) had forecast that Iran’s domestic wheat purchases could increase by 13% to 8.5 million metric tons (mt) this year.
 
Farmers represented by Iran’s National Foundation of Wheat Growers had hoped for a 23% increase in the guaranteed purchase price of wheat for this year’s harvest season.