ISLAMABAD: Iran will prioritize Pakistan’s rice, meat, mango and other exports as part of a “landmark” trade understanding reached between the two countries in Tehran, the Pakistani government said on Monday.
The statement came after a high-level ministerial meeting between both sides on food security and agricultural cooperation. National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain led the Pakistani side. The meeting was co-chaired by his Iranian counterpart, Mr. Gholamreza Nourozi, and attended by senior representatives of key ministries, research institutions, and trade authorities from both countries.
Both sides reached an agreement for Iran to source a major portion of its rice imports from Pakistan for both government and private sector procurement, while the Iranian side assured of addressing longstanding challenges faced by Pakistani fruit exporters, particularly delays in issuance of import permits and foreign exchange allocations in Iran, according to Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID).
“With these measures in place, exports of Pakistani mangoes to Iran are set to rise substantially,” the PID said, adding that the discussion also focused on Pakistan’s livestock and meat sector. “Iran agreed to focus on Pakistan as a principal supplier and to ensure that around 60 percent of its meat procurements are sourced from Pakistan.”
