Australia exported 91,5 MMT of wheat to Iran in the January-February period, according to official data.
Iran began ramping up wheat imports this marketing year, which began October 1, including rare purchases from the U.S., in a sign Tehran is building a strategic stockpile of grain in anticipation of harsher sanctions or even military conflict with the West over its disputed nuclear program.
Figures from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics and Sciences showed Australia exported 70,5 KMT in January and 21 KMT in February, almost 50% higher than the entire 61,4 KMT shipped to Iran last year and no shipments at all in 2010-11.
Source: Black Sea Grain