SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The wheat production has decreased by %40 in 2022, said Iraq’s Ministry of Trade on Tuesday.
“Drought and water shortage had an extreme impact on the reduction of wheat production, At least 3,300,000 tons of wheat had been purchased from the local markets in 2021, meanwhile in 2022 there are only 1,900,000 tons available so far,” it said.
“1,500,000 tons of wheat is required to be imported in order to fill wheat production deficit in 2022” it added.
Regarding the Kurdistan Region wheat production, the Ministry said, last year Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture had decided to purchase 375,000 tons of wheat from the Region’s farmers.
However, at the beginning of the harvest session in 2022, The Agriculture Ministry decided to take all of the Region’s wheat.
Iraq is one the most vulnerable countries in challenging climate change, the Impacts have almost shaped the entire country seeing itself in intense dust waves, low rainfalls, drought, and desertification.
It’s the third connective year of drought in Iraq. Despite the concerns about environmental issues among the locals, political instability inside the country has worsened the situation twice.
