U p to 2.8 million tons of essential goods, including rice, vegetable oils and unprocessed sugar, that were purchased in the fiscal 2020-21 will be imported during the first five months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Aug. 22), a senior official with Government Trading Corporation of Iran said.

“A total of 5 million tons of essential goods were imported during last [fiscal] year [March 2020-21], that is 10 times as much the volume imported in the year ending March 2018,” Amir Talebi was also quoted as saying by ILNA.

Also known as necessity goods, essential goods are products consumers will buy, regardless of changes in income levels.

financialtribune