ARLINGTON, VA -- In the weekly sales report released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it was announced that 60,000 MT of long grain rice was sold to Iran. The last shipment of U.S. rice to Iran was in May 2013, a year in which the U.S. exported 126,000 MT of rice to that country. U.S. sanctions toward Iran, like in Cuba, has an exception for food, but requires licenses be obtained from the Treasury Department Office of Foreign Asset Control to complete sales.
This sale follows closely on the heels of a similar 60,000 MT sale to Iraq, which was the result of significant efforts and engagement of USA Rice with the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, and the Foreign Agricultural Service.
"These sales could not have come at a better time for rice farmers and the rice milling industry," said Betsy Ward, USA Rice President & CEO. "With the current market situation, any added demand is most welcome."