Iran, EU Agree to Launch Agricultural Partnership

The agreement was reached between the officials from the Iranian Agriculture Ministry and the European Union in a meeting in Tehran on Sunday.

During the meeting, members of the EU Commission for Agriculture and Rural Development voiced their readiness to transfer new technologies to Iran in the field of agriculture.

Director General of Directorate-General (DG) for Agriculture and Rural Development in the European Commission Jerzy Bogdan Plewa voiced readiness to strengthen bilateral cooperation and trade in the area of agriculture between the EU and Iran.

"The EU is eager to help Iran promote standards of food production and transport these products with high technology," he added.

He also noted that the EU could assist Iran in other fields like genetically modified seeds, agricultural machines, irrigation systems and modern greenhouse technology.

Deputy Director of Agricultural Planning, Economic and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI) at the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture Ali Kianirad presented a report on the capabilities, capacities and programs of the country’s agriculture sector which accounts for 11.6 percent of GDP, and said, "The figure will climb to 32.5% if pre- and post-agricultural businesses and industries are included."

In relevant remarks in early March, Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri called for the expansion of mutual cooperation with the European Union (EU) in different fields, specially trade and economic areas.

"Iran considers no limit in cooperation with the European Union," Jahangiri said in a meeting with Slovakian Deputy Prime Minister for Investments and Information Peter Pellegrini in Tehran.

He reiterated that in order to further expand mutual cooperation, Tehran and Bratislava need to set up a joint cooperation commission with their ministers as its members and identify grounds for cooperation and remove the existing impediments.

Source: Fars