<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="hps"><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Investigating the development of agricultural collaboration between Iran and Austria</span></strong></span><span class="longtext"><strong> </strong></span></p> <p style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">In a bilateral meeting between the Minister of Jihad-e-Agriculture of</span><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> Islamic Republic of IRAN and </span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">the</span><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> Minister of Agriculture of </span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Federal Forestry, Environment and Water Management of Austria</span><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">, </span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">different ways of </span><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">developing </span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">agricultural cooperation between the two countries were discussed</span><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">. In this </span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">meeting</span><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">, </span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Minister of Jihad-e-Agriculture, Mahmoud Hojjati described political relations between the two countries in excellent </span><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">condition, </span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">and also mentioned that Iran and Austria can have bilateral cooperation</span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> on </span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">the agricultural machinery and equipment</span><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">, </span><span class="hps" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">new irrigation systems and animal affairs. He also stated that, considering climate variability in Iran and theeruptionof1450known species of medical plants, international approach to the usage of medicinal plants has been changed and these plants can also be used as an active ingredient of synthetic drugs and other products</span><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">,</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"> <span class="hps">and with respect to pharmaceutical manufacturing technology in Austria</span><span class="longtext">, </span><span class="hps">production</span><span class="longtext">, </span><span class="hps">processing and marketing of medical plants may be a good ground for cooperation and joint investment between the two countries</span><span class="longtext">.</span></span></p> <p style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">In this meeting, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="http://www.austria.org/austrian-dispatch-monthly-newsletter/2015/4/16/visit-of-austrian-federal-minister-of-agriculture-andr-rupprechter"><span>Andr&auml; Rupprechter</span></a><span class="longtext">, Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management of Austria, stated that the technologies and agricultural implements, irrigation and optimal management of mountain forests and medicinal plants are areas of cooperation between two countries and also said that Austria is among the leading countries in the world in the field of genetic modification and a variety of light and heavy livestock.</span> </span></p> <p style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">He has promised to have cooperation in the production of agricultural machinery in Iran, as well as in transferring the knowledge and experience of mountain farming and the production of new varieties of wheat and barley.</span></p> <p style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="longtext" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">In this meeting, a joint committee of agricultural memorandum of understanding between the two countries was signed by the Minister of IRAN and Austrian counterpart.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /> <span class="longtext"><strong>Source: PR of Minister of Agriculture/Translated in PR of AREEO</strong></span></span><span class="longtext"> </span></p>