Erbil Hosts Major International Agro-Industry and Packaging Expo with Participation from 20 Countries
Over 350 companies showcase products as the KRG intensifies its strategy to transform agriculture into a pillar of economic diversification.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Erbil on Monday hosted the opening of the region’s largest international exhibition dedicated to grain and plastic packaging, agricultural industries, and food production, bringing together more than 300 companies from around the world.
Hoshmand Mohammed, the exhibition’s organizer, told Kurdistan24 that this eighth annual event is now the biggest of its kind in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. He said its primary goal is to strengthen the Region’s economic visibility and expand its connections with global markets.
A total of 352 companies from 20 countries are participating this year, with organizers expecting over 15,000 Industry-specialized visitors to attend over the coming days.
Of the 352 exhibitors, 62 are local companies that produce a wide range of goods inside the Kurdistan Region—particularly agricultural products that span everything from basic inputs to finished goods prepared for the local market and presented to major international firms.
Participating countries include Iran, Turkey, India, China, and several European Union member states, underscoring the event’s growing global reach and commercial relevance.
The exhibition comes at a time of rapid expansion in the Kurdistan Region’s agricultural output, which has significantly increased in recent years.
Through a combination of targeted projects and strategic decisions, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has provided sustained support to farmers while also implementing measures to ease procedures for the private sector and revive the agro-industrial ecosystem.
This year’s exhibition is more than a commercial gathering—it reflects a broader strategic trajectory adopted by the KRG to strengthen food security, reduce import dependency, and position the Kurdistan Region as a competitive agro-industrial hub in the Middle East.
Over the past decade, the KRG has increasingly emphasized economic diversification as a response to fluctuating oil revenues and regional uncertainties. Agriculture and food processing have emerged as core pillars of this strategy.
The government has invested in irrigation systems, modern storage facilities, seed quality improvement programs, and farmer subsidies designed to boost both yield and efficiency.
At the same time, the KRG has prioritized policies that encourage foreign direct investment and facilitate partnerships between local producers and international companies.
By showcasing local products alongside global industry leaders, exhibitions like this create direct channels for technology transfer, joint ventures, and export opportunities—key components of the government’s long-term development plan.
The Region’s focus on agro-industrial value chains—from raw production to packaging, processing, and distribution—aims to ensure that agricultural growth translates into manufacturing jobs, increased export capacity, and stronger rural livelihoods.
This year’s large turnout, with participation from 20 countries, also signals growing international confidence in the Kurdistan Region’s market potential and its improving business environment.
As Erbil continues to position itself as a regional trade hub, events like this exhibition play a crucial role in advancing the KRG’s strategy to modernize its agricultural sector, attract global partnerships, and build a more resilient and diversified economy.
