PM Barzani inaugurates new wheat project in Erbil

"We are in talks with a number of countries to open their markets for Kurdistan's locally produced products."

Halgurd Sherwani 2021/09/27 12:36

KRG PM Masrour Barzani is pictured walking to cut the inauguration ribbon, Sept. 27, 2021. (Photo: KRG)

Kurdistan Agriculture Krg Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani Erbil Wheat marketing project Flour factory

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani inaugurated a new wheat production and marketing project in Erbil on Monday.

The first phase of this new initiative kicked off with the inauguration of a flour factory that has a daily production capacity of 1,000 tons.

KRG PM Barzani visits a bakery inside the flour factory to see freshly-baked bread, Sept. 27, 2021. (Photo: KRG) — KRG PM Barzani visits a bakery inside the flour factory, Sept. 27, 2021. (Photo: KRG)

The factory is part of a giant new wheat marketing project, which will include several factories, storage facilities, and silos. Upon completion, the project will take agricultural products grown by farmers across the region and turn them into various food items, such as bread, burghal, and spaghetti.

"This strategic project is a significant facilitator in providing food security in the Kurdistan Region," Barzani said at Monday's inauguration ceremony.

The foundation stone of the $250 million project was laid in November 2020. Since then, the project has been able to begin operations despite the severe health and economic challenges the Region faced throughout that intervening period, Barzani added.

The Kurdish premier hailed the project's significance in helping the Kurdistan Region to "stand on its own feet" economically. Also, farmers will no longer need to be concerned about marketing their produce.

The foundation stones for similar projects across the Kurdistan Region have been laid over the past year, including in the provinces of Sulaimani and Duhok.

Such private projects are implemented in close cooperation with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which aims to diversify its hydrocarbon-reliant economy by developing other vitally important sectors, especially agriculture, Barzani said.

"We are in talks with a number of countries to open their markets for Kurdistan's locally produced products," he said.

Overall, the new Erbil-based enterprise consists of 40 silos and 11 factories that will produce wheat-based products upon its completion.