Iran's private sector out of pesticides, needs foreign currency for imports

TEHRAN, Iran, July 30 Trend: Iran's private sector needs the government to assign foreign currency to import pesticides and fertilizers for agricultural products," head of Iran's Fertilizers and Pesticides Importers Union Hossein Yazdi told Trend. "Despite the fact that agricultural products annually bring $5 to $6 billion of revenues back to the country, no foreign currency on preferable rate has been assigned for import of pesticides over past eight months," he said. "If the government provides $500 million to the unions, there won't be any issues with supply of pesticides and fertilizers to farmers," said Yazdi. "Even if foreign currency is assigned to importers, it would take five months for the country to import pesticides due to sanctions and the coronavirus situation. So no pesticides would be imported for a year," he said. Yazdi pointed out that the imported pesticides are in the customs and are being destroyed thanks to summer heat. "Iran annually exports $5.2 billion worth of agricultural products, so the private sector and its three related associations need some $700 million to import pesticides and fertilizers. We have constantly asked for some $700 million, to have it assigned for import," he said. "The green houses need new pesticides and private sector does not have foreign currency to import them," he said. "There are domestic policies that limit imports, pesticides were previously imported before the new Iranian year (started March 20,2020), so now there are no more pesticides left to be distributed," Yazdi said.