Iraq plans to increase domestic wheat production by about 74 percent to 3 million metric tons by 2015, according to Saleh Hussein Jabur [Jabr], director general of state- owned Mesopotamia Seed Company.

Bloomberg reports that the government intends to triple the annual quantity of wheat seed that it buys from local farmers to 180,000 tons in 2015 from 60,000 tons now.

Iraq is one of the world’s biggest importers of wheat and rice, which are purchased by the government to supply the country’s food rationing program. Soil salinity, poor irrigation and a drought in the last three years combined to make the country a buyer on world markets.

Iraq consumes about 4.5 million tons of wheat a year and local production for the 2010-11 season was about 1.73 million tons; the country plans to import 3 million tons of wheat in 2012.

(Source: Bloomberg)

A new silo with a storage capacity of 60,000 tons of wheat is under construction in Erbil province, according to AKnews.

An advisor to the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Ministry of Trade and Industry, Faris Majid, told the news agency that the new project, worth $21 million, occupies a 70-acres site on the Erbil-to-Gwer road in the west of the province.

The Italian company which has undertaken the project is expected to complete construction by July.

Currently there is only one silo in central Erbil (16,000 tons) and one in its Makhmur suburb (100,000 tons). The silos have a limited capacity comparison to the annual volume of harvested wheat in the province, which can be as much as 180,000 tons.

The official said that the Ministry has also proposed to construct 4 more silos in Qushtapa, Chamchamal, Sharazur and Makhmur, each with a capacity of 40,000 tons.

Earlier Kheirullah Hassan, Kurdistan trade minister, told AKnews that Iraqi Trade Ministry has planned to construct 14 more silos in all Iraqi provinces, including those of the Kurdistan region, 2012 through 2014.

(Source: AKnews)

Bloomberg reports that Iraq bought 400,000 metric tons of wheat from Russia, Australia and Canada.

The amounts were:

• 150,000 tons from Canada;
• 150,000 tons from Russia; and,
• 100,000 tons from Australia,

Hassan Ismail Ibrahim, director general of the Grain Board, told Bloomberg by telephone. The deadline for the tender expired on 4th December.

Iraq plans to import 3 million tons of wheat next year, with tenders starting in January.

Iraq uses 4.5 million tons of wheat a year and the country’s wheat production for 2010-11 was 1.73 million tons.

(Source: Bloomberg)

Bloomberg reports that Iraq plans to import 3 million metric tons of wheat in 2012, with tenders starting in January.

Hassan Ibrahim, director general of the country’s grain board, said in an interview that  the grain board wants $3 billion to spend on grain imports next year, up 10 percent on the 2011 figure.

Iraq uses 4.5 million tons of wheat a year and 1.25 million tons of rice, mostly imported.

The rice harvest has started for this year, with production forecast at 250,000 tons compared with 150,000 tons last year; Iraq’s wheat production for 2010-11 was 1.73 million tons, according to the grain board.

The last wheat purchase was for 350,000 tons about 45 days ago. The government buys rice from local producers at $625 a ton, according to the grain board.

(Source: Bloomberg)

German and American companies have proposed building a grain silo in Shatra County, north of Nassiriya, a Provincial Council member announced on Friday.

Hamoud al-Shatri told Aswat al-Iraq that two companies proposed building the storage facility which will have a capacity of 30 thousand tons.

The silo project is one of the main infrastructure projects in the province, which will solve the storage problems and encourage grain mills to be built in the area.

The Iraqi Trade Ministry had announced a plan to build a metal silo in Shatra County at a cost of 7 million dollars.

Thi Qar [Dhi Qar] province used to export good quality grains until the 1970s.

The situation has deteriorated during the last two decades due to the lack of water, which led to a 50 percent decline in arable land.

Out of 2 million inhabitants, 60 percent are working in agriculture.

Nassiriya, the center of Thi Qar province, lies 365 km south of the capital, Baghdad.

(Source: Aswat al-Iraq)

The governorate of Sulaimaniya is planning to build five grain silos by the end of 2012, according to Hama-Hussein Hama-Saeed, deputy general director at the Kurdistan trade ministry.

AKnews reports that the silos, worth $116 million (138 billion Iraqi dinars), will have a capacity of 240,000 tons of grain.

“With these silos, we’ll be able to preserve the grain and protect it against natural disasters,” Bestun Sheikh Ahmed, deputy director of Sulaimaniya Silo said.

Three of the new grain storage facilities will be built this year:

• in Piramagrun, a suburb of Sulaimaniya (holding 80,000 tons);
• in Barlut, a suburb of Kalar (40,000 tons); and,
• in Chwarqurna, a suburb of Ranya (40,000 tons).

Two other facilities in Said Sadiq and Chamchamal (with 40,000 tons capacity each) will be built next year.

(Source: AKnews)

Ministry of Trade announces the purchase of 50 000 MT+/-5% in minimum of wheat from all origins according to the specifications adopted by grain board of Iraq and the final quantity will be specified by the buyer.

For all bidders who are willing to participate in this tender they have to visit the general contracts department in the headquarter of Ministry of Trade located in Baghdad , Al-Mansour at the end of Union Street , to obtain this tender against a nonrefundable amount of 500 000 Iraqi Dinars.

For further details, please click on this link.

Bloomberg reports that Iraq has cancelled a tender for 50,000 metric tons of wheat. and is now inviting bids to buy 30,000 tons of rice from South America.

Amer Abdel Aziz, spokesman for the country’s Grain Board, did not give a reason for the cancellation of the wheat tender when he spoke by phone to Bloomberg.

Details of the new tender are not yet on the Grain Board’s website.

(Source: Bloomberg)