SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Kurdistan Region’s importer and exporter union said on Tuesday the Region would work to import goods from Armenia as an alternative to Ukraine.
Head of the Region’s union Mustafa Abdulrahman said the union had visited the Armenian consulate general to discuss trade relations with Armenia.
“It is possible to benefit from Armenia as an alternative for Ukraine due to its good ability in producing various goods,” Abdulrahman said in a joint press conference with the Armenian consul general.
The Kurdistan Region could import foods and construction materials as well as other goods, he added.
The consul general of Armenia stressed on strengthening economic ties with the Kurdistan Region, noting that trade between Armenia and Kurdistan reached $190 million last year.
“Ninety percent of trade between Armenia and Iraq was in the Kurdistan Region,” he said in the press conference.
Iraq is a major Middle East grain importer and needs between 4.5 million and 5 million tons of wheat a year to supply its massive food rationing program.
Russia and Ukraine export about a quarter of the world’s wheat and half of its sunflower products, like seeds and oil, according to BBC. Ukraine also sells a lot of corn globally.
