Wheat stocks in Kurdistan Region and Iraq have fallen by half: Minister

Mustafa Shilani 2022/05/25 19:50

Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Trade and Industry Kamal Muslim. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Kurdistan Kurdistan Iraq Wheat Food security

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Wheat stocks in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq have fallen by half this year due to drought and the Russia-Ukraine war, Kurdistan Region Minister of Trade and Industry Kamal Muslim announced on Wednesday.

Muslim told reporters that the Kurdistan Region was "forced to replace the sunflower oil imported from Ukraine with soybean oil, despite the emission of an unpleasant smell from it," due to the disruption of supplies caused by that ongoing war.

Regarding the marketing of this year's wheat crop, Muslim said that "it will be fully received from the farmers by the regional government and the federal government, and no farmer will be excluded."

He also said that the only solution to these shortages is the development of the country's agricultural sector.

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani stated that the Kurdistan Region could play a role in filling food and energy shortages.

Wheat prices hit record highs amid growing fears of supply shortages following the outbreak of the Ukraine war. India banned wheat exports after rising temperatures led to a decline in the crop.

Iraq relies on local and imported wheat to provide flour, which is included on the national ration card. Iraq is also facing water shortages, which have negatively affected wheat production this year.