Agriculture Minister: Kurdistan products surplus demands, need international market

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Agricultural products in Kurdistan Region surplus national demand and can be exported, a Kurdish official said on Wednesday.

In a press conference in Sulaimani, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Agriculture Minister Abdulsattar Majeed stated that two years ago locals were unhappy that Kurdistan Region had insufficient agriculture products.

“Now, Kurdistan Region can rely on itself for some of the main agricultural products. No more need for importing,” Majeed said.

"Wheat is one of the examples that surplus local demand by 45 percent. Some of the other surplus products are poultry, beef, herbs, zucchini, potato, onion, and mushrooms," he acknowledged.

According to Majeed, the price of local agricultural products has dropped due to the increased supply and so Kurdish farmers have been negatively affected.

He called on the Ministry of Trade and private sector to open factories and find an international market for the Kurdistan Region surplus products and decrease the damage caused to the Kurdish farmers.

Moreover, Majeed added that in 2015 alone, Kurds have spent more than US $1.2 billion on poultry imported to the Region. He called on local farmers to improve the quality of their products and encouraged people to purchase local products.

He pointed out that the ministry has had many achievements in the last year in spite of the tough financial crisis the Kurdistan Region.

Majeed stated that Agriculture and Natural Resources Ministry has not received its budget in the past three years, yet it has improved significantly.

Editing by Ava Homa