Iran Opens Ordinary-Wheat Import Registration for Industrial and Trade Users

Registration resumes after technical issue

Iran has opened registration for imports of ordinary wheat by flour mills, traders and other eligible industrial and commercial users. According to Andishe Moaser, the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad’s Trade Development Department said applicants could submit orders through the Comprehensive Trade System from 27 Shahrivar 1405. Registration is due to remain available until the end of the Iranian year.

The announcement follows the resolution of a technical problem affecting the systems used to register ordinary-wheat imports. Applications must be filed under tariff code 10019920 and comply with the relevant import regulations. The measure covers qualified flour factories, importers, traders and other industrial or commercial operations seeking wheat for their own requirements or for distribution to eligible users.

Orders valid for up to 240 days

Each ordinary-wheat import registration will initially remain valid for 180 days. The system may then provide a further 60-day extension, giving approved applicants as many as 240 days to execute an order. That validity period extends the practical procurement horizon beyond the year-end registration deadline and gives buyers more time to arrange supply, transport and customs procedures.

The ministry said the decision implements a resolution of Iran’s Market Regulation Headquarters. Its stated purpose is to facilitate imports of essential agricultural goods and support a stable supply for industrial and commercial users. The notice does not specify an import quota, a purchasing budget, approved origins, financing terms or an expected volume, so its immediate market impact will depend on how many registrations are approved and converted into physical shipments.

Animal-feed wheat follows a separate procedure

Iran had previously authorized registration for imports of animal-feed wheat. Applicants in that segment must first conclude a memorandum with the Jihad Independence Institute and then present an introduction letter to the Trade Development Department. Ordinary wheat and animal-feed wheat are therefore both open to import registration, but buyers face different administrative procedures depending on the intended use.

The opening comes against a variable domestic production background. Andishe Moaser reports that Iran typically produces between 10 million and 14 million tonnes of wheat a year, depending on rainfall, although output fell to about 5 million tonnes in some years during the 1390s. Production for the current year has been forecast at 14.1 million tonnes, with more than 8.5 million tonnes delivered to the government so far. Wheat also supplies about 50% of daily calorie consumption in Iran, making continuity of supply important to both food processors and policymakers.

Procurement implications

For flour mills and industrial buyers, the reopened system removes an immediate administrative obstacle but does not guarantee cargo availability or import economics. Companies will still need to meet regulatory conditions and manage purchasing, payment, shipping and delivery within the registration period. Traders will also have to distinguish clearly between ordinary wheat for industrial and commercial use and feed wheat subject to the separate memorandum process.

The combination of a year-end application window and validity of up to 240 days could spread contracting and arrivals over a longer period. However, without a published quota or target volume, suppliers and market participants cannot yet determine the scale of additional Iranian demand. The pace of approvals and subsequent execution of orders will provide the clearest indication of whether the policy produces a material increase in wheat procurement.