Iraq achieves wheat self-sufficiency

Iraq produced 6.3 million tons of wheat this year, marking a 21 per cent annual increase and achieving self-sufficiency for the second consecutive year, according to an official. Last year, Iraq produced approximately 5.2 million tons of wheat.

Haider Nouri Al-Garaawi, director general of Iraq’s grain board, attributed the increase to substantial rainfall and the implementation of modern irrigation technologies. He added that the government’s wheat reserves are sufficient to last until next April without needing imports, though private millers may still import wheat to meet demand. Additionally, the country plans to sell a surplus of approximately 1.6 million tons of wheat to local private millers for flour production.

The country relies on rainfall and water flows from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for its production. The government supports domestic farmers by purchasing local wheat at nearly double the global price and distributing 4.7 million tons annually under a subsidy programme.

In recent years, Iraq has purchased wheat from the United States, Australia, and Canada.

Attribution: Bloomberg