Iran initiates field trial of insect resistant rice and cotton

The Iran deputy minister of agriculture, who also serves as the head of Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Dr. Eskandar Zand recently announced that Iran will start the process to field test insect resistant rice and cotton. This announcement was made after meeting the Minister of Agriculture and senior managers of the ministry with President Rohani. Dr. Zand promised that "By the end of the year, 12 important achievements of the organization (AREEO) will be inaugurated". He outlined the initiation of three field trials of transgenic plants including rice and cotton in 2014.

The first insect resistant genetically modified rice plant in Iran was officially commercialized in 2004, coinciding with the international year of rice. Since then the commercial production of transgenic rice was limited due to some political oppositions. Now with the strong support from the new administration, extensive activities in support of biotech crops research and production have been restarted.