Iraq expects to produce 5 million tons of local wheat

SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraq is expected to produce five million tons of wheat locally this season, deputy agriculture minister Mahdi al-Jabouri said.

The wheat surplus in the April-May harvest would be stockpiled rather than exported, Reuters cited Jabouri as saying on Tuesday.

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 programme.

(Esta Media Network/Reuters)