‘War in Ukraine has increased food prices in Iraq’: Trade Minister

“The price of some food items increased 40 percent.”
Iraqi Minister of Trade Alaa Ahmed al-Jubouri being interviewed by Kurdistan 24 in Baghdad, March 6, 2022. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Iraqi Minister of Trade Alaa Ahmed al-Jubouri being interviewed by Kurdistan 24 in Baghdad, March 6, 2022. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Minister of Trade Alaa Ahmed al-Jubouri stated on Sunday that the war in Ukraine has significantly increased food prices in Iraq. 

“The war in Ukraine has increased the price of food materials in Iraq,” al-Jubouri told Kurdistan 24 correspondent Shivan Jabari. “The price of some food items increased 40 percent.” 

To help ease the burden of these increasing prices on the Iraqi people, the Iraqi government decided to double the food portions on the national ration card during the holy month of Ramadan. 

“Per a direct order from the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, we will distribute twice the amount of the national ration card’s food items to the people during the holy month of Ramadan,” said al-Jubouri. “We are here now at the national food stores to make the necessary preparations.” 

Some of food ration items distributed to the people of Iraq. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Some of food ration items distributed to the people of Iraq. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

The trade minister told the Kurdistan 24 correspondent that his ministry has good coordination with Kurdistan Regional Government and that the people of the Kurdistan Region are included in this decision. 

On Saturday, the populist Sadrist Movement leader and politician Muqtada al-Sadr called on the Iraqi government to increase the number of food items on the country’s national ration cards, fix food prices, and support local agriculture and farmers.

Read More: Sadr calls on Iraqi government to increase food aid to the poor and support farmers

“The poor people are still poor, and the prices are constantly rising,” Sadr tweeted. “Therefore, urgent solutions are needed.”

Sadr argued that the global increase in food prices isn’t an adequate excuse for not finding a quick solution to this problem. 

“The government should increase the food items on the ration card and ensure it reaches the poor people, particularly those in the villages and other countryside areas,” Sadr tweeted. 

“To activate the role of the economic security, fix prices, and severely punish those who don’t abide by these procedures.”