Kyiv: Iran wants to buy $1.5 billion worth of agricultural products from Ukraine
Iran expressed its intention to buy agricultural products from Ukraine for $1.5 billion and suggested simplifying the export process to promote significant trade potential between the countries,as reported on the website of Ukraine’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy following the meeting of Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy Viktor Sheremet with an Iranian delegation.
It was noted that Iran is interested in increasing imports of agricultural products from Ukraine, including vegetable oil and soybeans.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, Ukrainian State Grain Corporation, Iranian Ambassador to Ukraine Mohammad Beheshti-Monfared, representatives of the Iranian embassy in Ukraine, and representatives of Iranian businesses.
The report also notes that Iranian companies continue to show an interest in leasing Ukrainian agricultural land for the cultivation and supply of agro-industrial products to Iran – in particular, grain crops.
According to 2017 statistics, Iran came in ninth on the list of countries to which Ukraine exports the most agricultural products. In monetary terms, exports amounted to $527.7 million (a 2.9% share of exports).
The main commodities exported to Iran in 2017 were oilseeds ($186.3 million), cereals ($174.1 million), and sunflower oil ($157 million).
However, in the first quarter of 2018, Iran’s share in Ukrainian exports slightly decreased to 2.49%.