Consequently, agricultural imports remain a permanent aspect of the country's international trade.

Between 1970 and 1976, agricultural imports grew at the staggering annual rate of 35%.

But by early 1987, Iran was actually more dependent on agricultural imports than in the 1970s.

But until recently it had met all payments on letters of credit for agricultural imports.

Most of China's 1.2 billion people work in agriculture, so the arguments over opening the market to agricultural imports has been particularly bitter.

They said it may be possible for Iraq to increase its farm production to partially offset the loss of agricultural imports.

European nations are significantly more closed to agricultural imports.

From the beginning, reducing agricultural imports while improving domestic food production was a major element.

In the long run, China reduced the expenditure of foreign exchange needed to finance agricultural imports.

He said one way to do this was to lower barriers on steel, textiles and agricultural imports.