Syrian crisis will not impact Iraq’s economy or food security, says trade ministry

BAGHDAD — The Ministry of Trade affirmed Saturday that the ongoing Syrian crisis will not affect Iraq’s economy or food security, emphasizing that there is no shortage of food supplies and that local markets remain stable.

“The government’s primary focus since its formation has been ensuring food security for citizens,” said Mohammad Hanoun, the ministry’s spokesperson, in a statement to the state run channel Al-Iraqiya. “This has been achieved through large-scale imports of essential food basket items and significant marketing of local wheat, which reached record production levels of 6.3 million tons. Additionally, there is a substantial reserve of 3 million tons of wheat and large quantities of other food basket supplies.”.

Hanoun highlighted that the government has implemented a strategy to diversify food imports from neighboring countries to maintain market stability. “Despite the Syrian crisis, Iraqi markets are experiencing significant food stability and are free from shortages. Supplies of essential goods are entering the country smoothly from various sources,” he said.

The ministry is also advancing initiatives to support food security, including the recent opening of a ‘hypermarket’ in Baghdad’s Bayaa district and plans to open six additional centers soon, offering competitive prices to citizens.

“The Syrian crisis will not impact Iraq’s economy or its food security,” Hanoun reassured, noting that Iraq’s diversified sources of food imports mitigate any reliance on Syrian-produced goods.

In a significant escalation of the Syrian conflict, opposition forces led by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham have launched a rapid offensive, capturing key cities including Aleppo and Hama, and advancing towards Homs. This offensive, commencing late November, marks the most substantial gains by rebel factions in recent years, posing a serious challenge to President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.