BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 13. The East Azerbaijan Province, located in the northwestern part of Iran, can become a hub of mutual relations with the Caucasus and European countries in the field of agriculture, the Minister of Agriculture of Iran, Gholamreza Nouri said at a meeting with the representative of the Iran's Supreme Leader, Seyyed Ali Khamenei in the East Azerbaijan Province, Ahmad Motahhari Asl, in Tabriz today, Trend reports.
According to him, the private sector should be the basis of the country's economy.
The economy of the East Azerbaijan Province is one of the provinces that is formed based on the activities of the private sector and relies less on the activities of the government.
Nouri noted that the agricultural sector is very important for the East Azerbaijan Province, but the lack of water resources has complicated the work because both food security and the protection of the environment and resources should be kept in the spotlight.
The minister pointed out that about 15 percent of the country's foreign exchange reserves and 20 percent in terms of weight belong to the import of food products.
''Such imports have created many problems for the country's economy. Accordingly, local production is of great importance,'' he added.
Nouri also stated that Iran's geographical location opens up great opportunities.
The official added that the North-South and the East-West International Transport Corridors, as well as numerous neighboring countries, have provided a unique chance for Iran to become a food security center in the region.
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