Barter trade deal: Iran agrees to import 1mn tons of wheat from Pakistan

Fazal Sher

ISLAMABAD: Iran has agreed in principle to import one million tons of wheat from Pakistan under barter trade deal at $ 300 per metric ton.

The deadlock between the two sides has ended and Iran has agreed in principle to import one million tons of wheat from Pakistan, during talks held in Tahran between a high level Pakistani delegation and Iranian officials, Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFS&S) Ahmad Baksh Lehari told Business Recorder here on Monday.

The Pakistani delegation comprised of Secretary NFS&S Ahmad Baksh Lehari, former Secretary NFS&S Shafqat Hussain Nagmi and Managing Director (MD) of Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO), Maj Gen Tauqeer Ahmad and other senior officials.

He said that Iran is likely to start import of wheat from Pakistan this month and Iranian experts will reach Pakistan to check of quality of wheat very soon. PASSCO will make arrangement for export of wheat to Iran and Iranian experts will check quality of wheat in Karachi, he said.

Iran had earlier expressed an unwillingness to accept Pakistani wheat containing karnal bunt or Tilletia Indica, but Lehari assured this correspondent that the issue of Karnal bunt was resolved during the recent talks between the two countries and Pakistan will provide quality wheat to Iran. “Pakistan’s wheat has 0.03 percent ratio of karnal bunt (a fungal disease) whereas 1 percent is the internationally acceptable level”, he said.

Pakistan had offered one million tons of wheat to Iran, and in return, Tehran will provide fertilizer and iron ore.