Iraq exports non-oil goods to new markets as 75 factories resume production

BAGHDAD — Hamoudi Al-Lami, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s adviser for industry, development, and the private sector, said Wednesday that indicators of Iraq’s industrial recovery are becoming clearer, with 75 Iraqi companies and factories now exporting products to international markets.

“Iraqi products are now reaching external markets in Arab and European countries,” Al-Lami told the Iraqi News Agency, describing the trend as a sign of “restored confidence in local products and an expansion in national production.”

He said data from the Ministry of Trade, which oversees export licensing, shows that 21 Iraqi food companies have recently obtained export permits and begun marketing their goods in Gulf states, Jordan, Turkey, Kuwait, and Egypt.

“Fifty-four national factories have already begun exporting their products abroad, reflecting the recovery of the national industrial sector after years of stagnation,” Al-Lami said.

He noted that Iraq’s exports now include products such as batteries, rebar, carpets, textiles, and electrical cables.

Iraq’s economy remains heavily dependent on oil, which provides more than 90% of government revenue and dominates exports. Despite efforts to diversify, non-oil revenues still represent only a small share of the national budget, leaving the economy vulnerable to swings in global energy prices.