Iran, Kazakhstan keen to boost agricultural ties: minister

TEHRAN, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Kazakhstan are eager to expand their ties in the field of agricultural production and activities, Iran's Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati was quoted as saying by Financial Tribune daily on Tuesday.

"We are an importer of barley, oilseeds, red meat and light and heavy livestock, and Kazakhstan can supply our demand in these areas," the Iranian minister said in a meeting with the visiting Kazakh Minister of Agriculture Askar Myrzakhmetov.

"Also, Iran is among the biggest producers of dairy, milk powder, eggs and poultry, for which there is a demand in Kazakhstan and can be supplied by Iran," Hojjati said.

Besides, "Iran is the biggest producer of coldwater fish and trout in the world. We are ready to export these products and cooperate in producing these types of fish in Kazakhstan," he said.

For his turn, Myrzakhmetov said his country is ready to meet part of Iran's demand for rice by cultivating the seeds of Iranian rice in Kazakh farmlands.

In the meantime, "we are not able to produce oranges and tangerines in Kazakhstan and are willing to import them from Iran as part of long-term contracts," he was quoted as saying. Enditem