Tomato prices spike in Kurdistan Region

SULAYMANIYAH — The price of tomatoes has surged across the Kurdistan Region in recent days, reaching nearly 750 dinars (about $0.51) per kilogram, amid an ongoing ban on imports.

Sarwar Ali, head of the vegetable sellers’ syndicate in Sulaymaniyah, told 964media on Monday that locally grown tomatoes are no longer available in the market, and the remaining stock is of low quality.

“Right now in the market, we only have low-quality tomatoes that are very bad, and the good ones are priced at 1,250 dinars [about $0.84] per kilogram,” Ali said.

He attributed the rising prices to the continuing ban on tomato imports. “If the ban is lifted, the price of good tomatoes will drop to between 300 and 600 dinars [about $0.20 to $0.41] per kilogram,” he added.

Since Jan. 26, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture has enforced a ban on importing tomatoes into the Kurdistan Region, allowing only shipments from central and southern Iraq. The policy aims to protect domestic production but has led to limited availability and sharp price increases as the local harvest season ends.