Iran’s wheat production to exceed 10 million tonnes by March 20, 2017, according to a head of Iran's Government Trading Company (GTC).

“We will not have to import wheat next year and given the satisfactory rainfall during the fall, we can get closer to self-sufficiency,” said Ali Qanbari in an Iran Daily report, citing Tasnim News Agency.

Iran's agriculture officials foresee no major wheat imports in the coming year because better rainfall so far this year is expected to boost domestic harvest, added the report.

The government bought more than 8 million metric tonnes of wheat from local farmers in the current crop season in view of suitable harvest.

Qanbari said GTC plans to export 300,000 metric tonnes of pasta-making durum wheat in the year to March 19, 2016.

European traders have said Iran's state grains agency offered to barter locally-produced durum wheat with 250,000 tonnes of milling wheat.

Earlier this year, the government imposed import duties on wheat and barley to protect local farmers from cheap imports and to prevent imported grain being re-sold to the government at higher prices, added the report.