Heavy rainfall destroys over 2400 acres of wheat and barley

MAKHMOUR — Recent rains and storms have significantly affected about 2470 acres of farmland, primarily wheat and barley, in Makhmour and the Qaraj Plain.

In response, the Makhmour Agriculture Department formed a committee to assess the damage. The committee’s findings were shared with 964media.

Marwan Hussein, head of the Makhmour Agriculture Department, told 964media that the assessment revealed damages to 10,000 donums of farmland, including 740 acres completely destroyed. Of these, around 600 were of wheat crops and 120 were dedicated to barley.

Previously, the agriculture departments of Nineveh and Erbil had directed the Makhmour Agriculture Department to form a committee to assess the agricultural damages caused by the recent rains. The committee’s findings have been presented to both departments, with recommendations for compensation for the affected farmers.

Hussein stated that Makhmour is administratively part of Mosul, so the compensation for the farmers should be handled by the Nineveh Agriculture Department, given that 120 farmers suffered significant losses.

The worst damage occurred in the villages of Qaraj, including Qazi Kand, Qalata Suran, Marzan, and Ali Rash.

Harvesting rates are set at 15,000 dinars (approximately $10.20) for irrigated land and 12,000 dinars (approximately $8.15) for rainfed land. Each year, harvesters from Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and other cities in Iraq come to Makhmour to assist local farmers with their crops.