Iraq completes high-capacity soybean seed purification plant in partnership with Turkey

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture has completed a soybean seed purification plant equipped with modern technology and capable of processing five tons per hour, the ministry announced Sunday.

Developed in collaboration with Turkey, the facility is part of Iraq’s National Soybean Program, which aims to expand domestic soybean production and develop non-GMO seed varieties resistant to environmental stress.

“The Agricultural Research Department has equipped a soybean seed purification plant with modern technologies, achieving a production capacity of five tons per hour,” the ministry said in a statement.

Built to meet international standards, the plant features advanced impurity separation and seed grading systems, a durable metal structure, and a noise-reduction system, according to the statement.

Iraq launched the National Soybean Program in May 2023 at the Al-Ghalibiya Research Station in Diyala, introducing mechanical sowing and modern irrigation techniques to improve soil preparation and expand soybean cultivation across different agricultural zones.

The program has already reported success in Diwaniya, where researchers achieved a 100% cultivation rate under the National Program for High-Grade Seed Propagation, according to Huda Hussein Harbi, director of the Diwaniya Research Station.

The Agriculture Ministry has prioritized soybean farming in central and southern Iraq, emphasizing its role in livestock feed, food production, and crop rotation.