Iraq Tops Middle East in U.S. Rice Imports, Exposing Agricultural Failures
The USDA reports that in 2024, Iraq imported $85.5 million worth (131,501 metric tons) of rice from the U.S., reflecting a 61% growth over a ten-year average.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In recent years, Iraq has significantly bolstered its import relationship with the United States, reflecting a strategic move to diversify its sources for essential commodities and advanced equipment.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. agricultural exports to Iraq reached $264.55 million in 2024, demonstrating a 4% compound annual growth over the past decade.
Iraq's agricultural sector struggles to meet the full spectrum of domestic demand, prompting increased reliance on U.S. agricultural products.
The USDA reports that in 2024, Iraq imported $85.5 million worth (131,501 metric tons) of rice from the U.S., reflecting a 61% growth over a ten-year average. Additionally, Iraq imported $61.79 million (118,470 metric tons) of soybeans, alongside other key products such as poultry meat and products ($43.96 million), tree nuts ($34.3 million), and condiments and sauces ($17.6 million).
The demand for high-quality U.S. rice remains strong, as Iraq imports nearly 90% of its rice needs.
The U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA) highlights that while the Ministry of Trade occasionally sources lower-quality rice from other countries, private sector demand for U.S. rice continues to rise, reinforcing the importance of this trade relationship.
The Impact of Corruption and Mismanagement in Iraq
Iraq’s heavy dependence on U.S. imports, particularly rice, reflects broader structural issues within its governance and economic policies. Despite its vast agricultural potential, the country remains highly reliant on food imports due to decades of corruption, resource mismanagement, and inefficient budget allocation under the federal government in Baghdad.
According to trade analysts, rather than investing in domestic agricultural production, successive Iraqi administrations have prioritized short-term solutions, leaving the country vulnerable to external market fluctuations.
Misallocation of funds, a lack of infrastructure development, and persistent water management issues have further weakened Iraq’s ability to sustain wheat production at levels sufficient to meet local demand. Compounding these challenges is Iraq’s ongoing water crisis, which has drastically reduced available irrigation resources.
According to Kurdistan24’s previous reports, water shortages caused by climate change and upstream dam projects have led to severe drought conditions across the country, impacting agricultural productivity and food security.
Read More: Iraq’s Water Crisis Threatens Agriculture, Food Security Amid Climate Change
The southern province of Dhi Qar, once considered Iraq’s food basket, has been particularly affected, with large portions of farmland left barren due to desertification and rising salinity levels.
Read More: Iraq’s Former ‘Food Basket’, Dhi Qar Devastated by Drought
Climate change has intensified these challenges, with rising temperatures and declining rainfall accelerating land degradation. According to environmental experts, Iraq has lost significant portions of its arable land to desertification, threatening the livelihoods of farmers and reducing domestic food production.
Kurdistan24 has previously documented that nearly 92% of Iraq is at risk of desertification, which, combined with poor irrigation management, has rendered vast agricultural lands infertile. The reduced water flow from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely due to upstream dam construction in neighboring countries, has further exacerbated the crisis.
Read More: Iraq's agriculture threatened by desertification, land degradation, climate change
Additionally, mismanagement in resource distribution has led to inefficient irrigation practices, where outdated agricultural methods and lack of investment in modern water conservation techniques continue to hinder productivity.
The absence of long-term agricultural planning has made Iraq heavily dependent on imported food, particularly from the United States and neighboring countries such as Turkey and Iran.
Read More: Iraq Tops Turkey’s Flour Import Chart as Turkey Expands Global Dominance
With shrinking arable land and declining water resources, Iraq’s dependency on food imports is expected to persist unless substantial investments are made in sustainable farming, modern irrigation, and water conservation infrastructure.
Without urgent reform, Iraq risks long-term food insecurity, further entrenching its reliance on foreign imports.
Kurdistan Region’s Alternative Approach: A Model for Sustainable Agriculture
In contrast, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), under the leadership of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, has pursued a proactive strategy to strengthen domestic agriculture and reduce reliance on food imports. Recognizing the risks of excessive dependency on foreign suppliers, the KRG has prioritized agricultural development and revenue diversification, positioning the region as a model for sustainable agriculture.
The KRG has invested in modern irrigation systems, provided subsidies to local farmers, and encouraged private sector involvement in agribusiness.
Notably, the region has constructed 30,000 greenhouses, benefiting over 3,800 farmers, and developed 6,000 potato processing facilities, along with 11 diverse agricultural processing plants and 101 cold storage facilities.
Past Kurdistan24 reports indicate that, these initiatives have significantly boosted local production, enabling the region to not only meet its domestic food needs but also begin exporting agricultural products to international markets.
The KRG’s focus on agriculture has led to the export of various products, including pomegranates, honey, potatoes, and apples, to Gulf states and European markets. As part of its long-term strategy, the government aims to transform the Kurdistan Region into a regional hub for food security and economic sustainability. The KRG has also strengthened collaboration with international agricultural organizations to introduce advanced farming techniques and increase productivity.
If this trajectory continues, Kurdistan could eventually become a net exporter of wheat-based products, reducing the need for large-scale imports and fostering greater economic independence.
The contrast between the KRG’s agricultural policies and the federal government’s import-heavy approach underscores the importance of long-term investment in local production.
Future Prospects
The deepening import relationship between Iraq and the United States underscores Iraq's efforts to diversify its economy and enhance its infrastructure.
However, the country’s ongoing dependence on imports highlights systemic challenges that require urgent policy reforms.
Without addressing corruption, resource mismanagement, and agricultural inefficiencies, Iraq will remain highly vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions.
Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Region’s proactive policies offer a glimpse of an alternative path—one focused on sustainable agricultural development and economic self-sufficiency. As Iraq continues to rebuild, lessons from the KRG’s approach could prove instrumental in shaping a more resilient and food-secure future for the entire country.