Iran, China ink MoU to expand agricultural ties

As announced by the head of Ardebil Province's Agricultural
Department, the northwestern Iranian province has signed a memorandum of
understating with China’s Qinghai Province to enhance mutual ties and
cooperation in the sector of agriculture.

The agreement on agricultural cooperation with China's
Qinghai Province will boost the economy, create jobs and prepare the ground for
enhanced agricultural sustainability in the province, Nobakht Azhdari said on
Saturday.

He added that the cooperation document will also highlight
Ardebil’s major role in improving the country's food security. 

The document was signed last week by Nobakht Azhdari and the
head of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department of Qinghai Province. 

Azhdari said the two sides will cooperate in the field of
agricultural products, livestock, oilseeds, pesticides, and herbicides.

In July, during a visit by Iran’s deputy minister of
agriculture for economic and planning affairs, Shapour Alaei Moghaddam, to
China at the head of a delegation, officials from Iran and China emphasized the
need for accelerating the trade exchanges in the field of agriculture.

Alaei Moghaddam participated in the meeting of the
Iran-China Joint Trade-Economic Commission co-chaired by Iranian Minister of
Economic Affairs and Finance Seyed Ehsan Khandouzi and China’s minister of
commerce.

To accelerate the trade exchanges and import and export of
agricultural products between the two countries, expert-level talks were held
between Alaei Moghaddam as well as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Customs Administration (IRICA) Mohammad Rezvanifar and the head of China’s
Customs Office.

A joint meeting was also held between the Iranian deputy
minister of agriculture and the CEO of China’s Fisheries Association on
developing the export of fisheries products and joint investment in the fishing
industry between the two countries.