BMI Industry View

BMI View: Financial sanctions designed to pressure Tehran over its nuclear programme are playing havoc with Iran's ability to import goods. Food price inflation is soaring, leading to a serious decrease in meat consumption. The use of barter in place of regular trade can be seen as a feasible, albeit temporary, way of circumventing sanctions to meet demand. Although President Hassan Rouhani, who is more moderate than his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, will most likely adopt a more conciliatory stance with the West, many sanctions are expected to remain in place. Over the longer term, we believe that the continued

investment by the government to improve infrastructure - such as the improvement of irrigation systems - will help the country to turn away from its backward agrarian system and will yield results in terms of better-quality grains. We are especially upbeat in our outlook for grains and sugar production.