BRICS+ Series: Iran & China's Collaboration in Agricultural Innovation

Iran’s Minister of Agriculture, Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, stressed that certain high-value agricultural exports alone could reach $1 billion, illustrating the scale of opportunity ahead. He emphasised that Iran and China benefit from complementary strengths across multiple domains, including agriculture, research, and technology, creating a solid foundation for sustained growth and deeper collaboration.

In addition to trade targets, Iran and China have already taken tangible steps toward scientific partnership. Joint research projects, particularly in rice production, are underway, and plans for shared agricultural research stations have been laid out. These efforts reflect a growing awareness that innovation and knowledge exchange are vital to elevating productivity and competitiveness in both countries.

Further deepening the partnership, there is groundwork for regional collaborative investment in agricultural vaccine production technology. Complementary financial and funding agreements are also being finalized to support joint initiatives, with concrete details expected to be announced once they are ready for implementation.

Expanding Agricultural Cooperation 

Beyond these recent commitments, multiple long-term frameworks signal stronger ties in agricultural cooperation. A memorandum of understanding was signed during the fifth meeting of the Iran-China Joint Cooperation Commission in Beijing, focusing on horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries, mechanization, and investing in Iran’s agri-sector development programs. Technical training from China has supported Iran in clean-energy agriculture, water-saving irrigation, and rural poverty reduction. In 2023, China’s imports of agricultural products from Iran surged to 3.5 times their level from just five years prior.

Recent high-level discussions continue to push the partnership further. In August 2025, Iran’s Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri Qezeljeh and his Chinese counterpart Han Jun explored deeper collaboration, with Beijing expressing readiness to increase imports of a broad array of Iranian agricultural goods. They also agreed to expedite necessary health and safety certifications to facilitate trade and plan the next session of their joint cooperation committee soon in Tehran.

Innovation, Investment, and Regional Integration

Cumulatively, these efforts reflect more than trade targets, they represent a strategic alignment blending policy, science, and investment. Iran is leveraging existing diplomatic platforms, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), to further connect with China's agricultural network. The upcoming SCO Agriculture Ministers' Summit in Beijing, which Iran is helping to organize, promises to open more avenues for regional cooperation.

Iran and China’s agricultural partnership is rapidly evolving across multiple fronts. Their shared ambition to multiply trade to $2 billion encompasses expanding exports, nurturing scientific cooperation, securing vaccines and technology, and easing regulatory hurdles. With both political commitment and institutional momentum, the region stands poised for a new chapter of agricultural integration, one driven not only by economics but also by innovation and intergovernmental synergy.

Written By: 

*Dr Iqbal Survé

Past chairman of the BRICS Business Council and co-chairman of the BRICS Media Forum and the BRNN

*Chloe Maluleke

Associate at BRICS+ Consulting Group 

Russian & Middle Eastern Specialist

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