Baghdad – IA
The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed, today, Wednesday, that Iraq is moving beyond the stage of self-sufficiency in wheat production and achieving a surplus in the next marketing season for the first time in its history, and while it indicated the development of a plan to accommodate the marketing of quantities expected to be large and reach 6 million tons, it confirmed at the same time Agreement with the Ministry of Water Resources to expand the cultivation of land with the crop.
Ministry spokesman Muhammad Al-Khuzaie told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “There is a tireless movement from the government and the ministries of agriculture, trade and water resources, to prepare all requirements for ending the season for growing wheat (winter season),” indicating that “the current indicators of production are moving towards exceeding the number.” “The amount achieved last season exceeded 5 million tons, so this year it will exceed 6 million.”
He added, “Thus, we will go beyond the stage of self-sufficiency towards achieving a surplus. This is happening for the first time in the history of Iraq, and it in itself is an achievement if we take into consideration all the circumstances, the first of which is the problem of water scarcity and climate variables,” explaining that “the recent meeting of Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani with… The Minister of Agriculture, Abbas Al-Maliki, and the specialists included discussing the preparation of all requirements for the successful receipt of the wheat crop, in light of the numbers that speak of 6 million tons.
He stated that “the directive is to provide warehouses that can accommodate these very large quantities,” noting that “the Minister of Commerce had previously visited the Ministry of Agriculture and met with the Minister and requested cooperation regarding supplying the Ministry of Commerce with the warehouses of the Ministry of Agriculture affiliated with the Iraqi and Mesopotamian General Company to be supportive of the warehouses and silos.” located in the Ministry of Commerce with the aim of absorbing all the quantities expected to be harvested at the end of the season.”
He stated that “the price at which the government receives one ton of wheat from farmers and farmers is the highest in the world and amounts to 850 thousand dinars per ton,” pointing out that “the price of Australian wheat ranges from $350 to a little more than this number per ton, that is, about 550 thousand dinars.” Therefore, there is a big difference between the international price of wheat and the price at which the Iraqi government receives wheat from farmers, and this constitutes support for the farmer and the farmer and competition through the existing price that the Iraqi government receives.”
