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Iraq anticipates wheat harvests of more than seven million tons this year

Need for imports diminished

Iraq anticipates wheat harvests of more than seven million tons this year

NEWSROOM — The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture has reached an agreement with the Ministry of Commerce to procure this year’s wheat harvest, anticipating a yield of over seven million tons across the country, including the Kurdistan Region.

This nationwide plan marks significant increase from last year’s 5 million tons.

Mohammed Khazali, spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, discussed the preparations with the Iraqi News Agency, noting that adequate facilities, including warehouses and silos, are ready for the upcoming wheat procurement season.

The Iraqi Council of Ministers issued a decision to purchase this year’s wheat from farmers at 850,000 Iraqi dinars ($649) per ton.

Khazali emphasized that all parties involved are facilitating the harvest and procurement processes to ensure timely payment to farmers.

The Ministry of Commerce officially announced the start of the 2024 marketing season for wheat from southern Iraq on April 11. However, Nawzad Sheikh Kamil, Director of Commerce at the Ministry of Trade for the Kurdistan Region, previously reported that wheat procurement had not begun in the region, citing a late harvest compared to other parts of Iraq as the primary reason for the delay.

Procurement has began in Muthanna governorate. During a press conference on April 17, Agriculture Minister Abbas Jabr Al-Maliki unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing the agricultural sector in Muthanna.

Following a visit to the Al-Samawah silo and various farms in the area, he praised the governorate’s role and contributions to the country’s overall agriculture sector. “We visited Muthanna governorate, which plays a crucial role in agriculture, and currently has land planted with wheat and other crops covering more than 400,000 dunams (98,842 acres),” Al-Maliki said.

The minister also promised enhancements to agricultural infrastructure, stating, “We will coordinate with the Ministry of Water Resources to increase the number of irrigation sprinklers allocated to the governorate, along with plans to expand rice cultivation in Muthanna and other governorates.”

Farther north, in Karbala, authorities have prepared for what is billed as this year’s unprecedented wheat harvest, allocating four sites for grain collection due to the high volumes, including a 50,000-ton capacity location in neighboring Babil governorate to manage the overflow.

The anticipated quantities could exceed 200,000 tons in Karbala.

Adel Hammadi Jasim, a member of the Wheat Marketing Committee, told 964media, “This year, we expect the marketed wheat quantities to range from 200,000 to 220,000 tons from various parts of [Karbala] governorate.”

“With the four sites operational, we expect to cover all the anticipated quantities of wheat to be marketed this year,” Jasim continued.

In Basra, the Department of Agriculture announced this year’s wheat yield is expected to exceed a record-breaking 160,000 tons.

Rain, cold weather severely damage Raperin wheat production

Rain, cold weather severely damage Raperin wheat production

Local wheat cultivation shows promising results

Local wheat cultivation shows promising results

US supports Kurdish dialogue in Erbil meeting, says State Department

KDP Leader Masoud Barzani (right) and SDF Commander General Mazloum Abdi (left)

Jan. 16 meeting

US supports Kurdish dialogue in Erbil meeting, says State Department

BAGHDAD — The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs expressed support for the recent meeting in Erbil between Kurdistan Democratic Party President Masoud Barzani and Syrian Democratic Forces Commander General Mazloum Abdi.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the bureau stated, “The United States welcomed the January 16 meeting between Kurdistan Democratic Party President Masoud Barzani and Syrian Democratic Forces Commander General Mazloum Abdi. Intra-Kurdish dialogue can play a critical role in bolstering an inclusive political transition in Syria.”

In northeastern Syria, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria oversees governance in predominantly Kurdish-populated areas. This region is under the military control of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition led primarily by the People’s Protection Units and supported by the United States in the fight against the Islamic State.

Within the Kurdish political landscape in Syria, the Kurdish National Council, an umbrella organization of Kurdish political parties closely allied with Iraq’s Kurdistan Democratic Party, has long-standing tensions with the Democratic Union Party, the leading faction within the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

Both factions face increasing pressure to reconcile and present a unified Kurdish front, especially as international discussions intensify regarding Syria’s future political settlement.

Following the Jan. 16 meeting, Mazloum Abdi posted on X, stating, “Our meeting with President Masoud Barzani was a source of satisfaction. We discussed the transformative process Syria is undergoing and reaffirmed the importance of Kurdish unity in Syria.”

Abdi emphasized the necessity of a unified Kurdish stance and peaceful dialogue with Damascus to protect Kurdish rights and ensure stability in the region.

The United States views such intra-Kurdish dialogues as essential for fostering an inclusive and stable political environment in Syria, which is crucial for regional security and the ongoing efforts to dismantle extremist groups.