Advancing Wheat Self-Sufficiency in Iran Through Annual Introduction of New Varieties Amid Ongoing Food Security Challenges

Sohrab Sohrabi, the Wheat Project Manager at Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted the strategic importance of wheat, covering half of the country’s cultivated land with 6 million hectares under wheat cultivation.

 

Currently, 90 wheat varieties are grown, and research institutes annually introduce 7 to 10 new, high-quality varieties to replace older ones. Around 400,000 to 500,000 tons of improved seed are produced and distributed to farmers yearly. Despite significant progress in production and quality enhancement, challenges such as energy imbalances, chemical fertilizer shortages, and insufficient agricultural infrastructure funding remain. Sohrabi called for stronger government and parliamentary support to ensure national food security.