Iran, Italy cement agricultural ties

TEHRAN, Jan. 26 (MNA) – Iranian and Italina agriculture ministers have sealed a cooperation document in the fields of agriculture, quarantine as well as plant protection. Iranian Minister of Agriculture Mahmoud Hojjati and his Italian counterpart Maurizio Martina, Italy’s Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Rome on Monday evening in the field of plant protection. According to the provisions of the MoU, which was signed at the presence of Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani as well as the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the two countries agree to expand scientific, research and practical collaborations in the areas of supervision, prevention and control of pests in addition to exchange of expertise and experience. Other objectives of the new deal entail facilitation of trade of agricultural and horticultural crops through effective and efficient communication between regulatory and quarantine agencies of the two sides. Accompanying the Iranian president during the visit to Italy, Mahmoud Hojjati is scheduled to participate in the Business Forum of the two countries on Tuesday leading the specialized channel of Iranian and Italian entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector.