September 21 2005, 08:35 APK-Inform

Iran will mill 200,000 t of Kazakhstan's wheat into flour to be exported to Iraq

Web server www.iran.ru, with reference to PR Manager of Iran's State Trading Company Abeddin-Zadeh, informed that Iran intended to import 200,000 tonnes of milling wheat from Kazakhstan, which was to be milled into flour. According to Abeddin-Zadeh the resulting flour is subsequently to be dispatched to Iraq.

The import of the Kazakh wheat will reportedly be made through Iran's Caspian port of Enzeli. Abeddin-Zadeh was also reported as saying that Iran had already imported small consignments of wheat through inland city of Meshkhed, located close to borderline with CIS countries, with an intent of processing it into flour and subsequent export of the latter into Afghanistan. The origin country of this wheat was not named.

Abeddin-Zadeh said that several ships with Kazakh wheat had already arrived at Enzeli, but had not been unloaded yet as the authorities were checking the quality of grain. Sources in Enzeli port were reported as saying there were several ships at the port at the moment with about 4,000 tonnes of replacement each, carrying cargos of Kazakhstan's milling and feed wheat. These are said to be awaiting permission for unloading and customs clearance.

It is said that since June 22 Iranian government made a decision about temporary ban for imports of feed wheat. Unloading of vessels with feed grains in Enzeli port is possible only under the deals that were concluded before this decision was made, the sources said.

At the same time, customs officials in Enzeli port, when interrogated, refused to comment on the information about arrival of ships with Kazakhstan's wheat.