Tomato prices collapse in Iraq, leaving farmers with unsold harvests

Tomato prices have collapsed across Iraq, falling to as low as 1,000 dinars per box — about 71 cents — in what farmers and traders say is one of the worst downturns in years.

In Dujail, an agricultural subdistrict in Salah al-Din governorate, producers said the price crash has left them unable to recover costs or sell their crops.

Ali al-Khalidi, a trader at the central wholesale market, said the drop is driven by a surge in tomato planting and overlapping harvests across several governorates.

“The central Dujail market distributes tomatoes to all parts of Iraq and receives produce from across Dujail’s farming areas,” he told 964media. “I attribute the price drop and low sales to several reasons — most importantly, overlapping harvest seasons between governorates and the large amount of tomato farming. Many farmers abandoned other summer crops and switched to tomatoes because last season’s prices were attractive. These are the real reasons. Imports have nothing to do with it — not a single kilo of imported tomatoes is in the market.”

Farmer Jabar al-Khazraji said regional production and market saturation have hit Dujail’s growers hard. “The crop here is local, Iraqi-grown, and the season hasn’t benefited farmers,” he said. “Boxes are selling for 1,000 dinars (about $0.71). We’re selling over 1,000 tons of tomatoes daily to governorates across Iraq, but other regions’ production and the opening of imports in places like Mosul, Basra, Baghdad, and Kurdistan have affected us.”

Other voices in the market point to overproduction and poor planning.

“We demand a ban on imported crops,” said laborer Hassan Falah. “Local tomato boxes didn’t exceed 1,000 dinars and didn’t even sell. Most farmers took their produce back. These prices don’t cover the farmer’s expenses, transportation, or even the entry fees to the wholesale market. All we want is to stop imported tomatoes.”

Iraq typically bans tomato imports during domestic harvests, but some farmers believe stock from earlier import periods or smuggled produce may still be reaching markets. Others say the real issue is unchecked domestic supply. With more than 1,000 tons of tomatoes moving through Dujail’s wholesale market each day — and most processing factories inactive — the oversupply has nowhere to go.

Many farmers had shifted entirely to tomatoes this year after high prices in 2023. Now, with warehouses full and demand flat, many say they have been left with little to show for the season.