Official: 300 Iranian Knowledge-Based Firms Active in Agricultural Sector
“Based on the figures from the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, we have 300 knowledge-based companies, and their number should increase to 1,000,” said Mohammad Zamanian.
“At present, out of 300 knowledge-based companies in the agricultural sector, 3 companies are active in the Institute for Breeding and Seed Production and Improvement of the Ministry of Agriculture in the fields of vegetables, summer crops, oilseeds, grains and the production of fruitful garden seedlings,” he added.
Zamanian explained that the work plan of the Institute for Breeding and Seed Production and Improvement of the Ministry of Agriculture is to increase hybrid varieties, adding, “We have intense competition in the vegetable and summer crops sector.”
In a relevant development in February, the most important subjects related to the executive short and long-term plans for the hybrid seed production and development were discussed in a symposium for the commercialization and branding of home-grown hybrid seeds.
Given the goals of the Seventh Development Plan (2023-2027) to produce 50 percent of vegetable and summer hybrid seeds domestically, it was deemed by the officials as necessary to develop a technical and executive plan and roadmap for hybrid seed production, with integrated management of the public and private sectors and utilizing existing scientific capabilities and infrastructure capacities.
Therefore, the Office of the National Program for the Development of Greenhouse and Fisheries Towns of the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, in line with its missions and with the aim of promoting and completing the value chain of hybrid seed production and development, by benefiting from the capacities and capabilities of knowledge-based and technology-based companies and the cooperation of the responsible organizations, has put the development of this executive plan on its agenda to facilitate the path to achieve the goals of the Seventh Progress Program in the field of seeds with targeted support for its implementation.
Therefore, in the second meeting of the hybrid seed production and development symposium, the draft executive plan was presented by the national program and the proposed short-term, medium-term and long-term plans for the production, commercialization and branding of domestic hybrid seeds were reviewed with the presence of knowledge-based and technology-based companies.
It was decided that the final suggestions and points of view from the companies would be obtained during the next meeting and the proposed plan, after revision and consensus of experts, would be the basis for subsequent decision-making.
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