Iraq Business News brings you the latest news on developments and opportunities in Iraq agriculture.
Once the farms around the city of Sulaymaniyah provided all of the fruit and vegetables locals needed. Now climate change, pollution and illegal dumping in local waterways are forcing farmers out. “We can no longer grow vegetables here, that time has come to an end,” lamented farmer Mohammed Aziz. “The water is so dirty that […]
The Kurdistan Ministry of Agriculture and Water is building three small dams to tackle the water crisis near Koya, Sulaimaniyah. Minister Jamil Suleiman told AKnews that the projects in Bawajan, Qoritan and Timarok villages will cost $552,500. The projects are funded from the 2011 ministry budget, have already been started, and will be completed within […]
Sinan Chalabi, Kurdistan trade and industry minister, laid the foundation stone on Wednesday for a new government-owned food storage warehouse in Erbil AKnews reports that the project, with capital of $1.5 million, will be completed in one year. The building which will store the monthly food-rations of residents will be constructed on 4,000 square meters […]
The Grain Board of Iraq (Ministry of Trade) has announced a tender for the supply of 50,000 tonnes of wheat. The deadline for bids is 10:00 am Baghdad time on 6th September. Please click here to download the tender details.
According to this report from NIQASH, many believe the original Garden of Eden, as described in both the Koran and Bible, is located in Basra. Increasingly though climate change, water shortages and urban sprawl mean Basra’s farmers are coming to doubt that story. War and conflict have led to the loss of many farms and […]
A member of the Iraqi Parliament’s Integrity Commission has said that southern Iraq’s Basra Integrity Commission had opened an investigation about a government’s deal to purchase 100,000 tons of sugar at above the international market price. Aliyia Nuseif told Aswat al-Iraq news agency that “the Trade Ministry had signed a contract with Zahrat al-Jibal Company […]
Almost 2,000 kilometres in size, Lake Razzaza is Iraq’s second largest lake. But increasing saline levels and decreasing water levels mean that the area is heading for economic, social and environmental disaster. And nobody seems to have any solutions. Once it was a centre for the local fishing industry, a lake teeming with commercial activity, […]
Iraq’s wheat production will total 1.8 million metric tons this year, and the country is expected to become an exporter of the grain by 2015, Deputy Agriculture Minister, Ghazi al-Abudi, said at a press conference in Baghdad. Bloomberg reports the minister as saying that otput is on course to reach 2.25 million to 2.5 million […]
The agriculture ministry has started work on a project to create green oases in various parts of the country as a way to combat a increasing desertification due to water shortages, according to a report from AKnews. The oases will be planted with palm trees and cultivated for agricultural purpose with irritation from wells. The […]
Iranian officials have promised to allow more water to flow down the Wand River [Alwand River, Hulwan River] into Iraq from Monday, according to AKnews on Sunday. Salam Abdullah, the spokesman for a group of campaigning water activists said: “Iran has promised to completely open the flow of the river by Monday.” It is not […]
Government efforts to reduce the shortage of irrigation water in Diyala province have proved inadequate, the Ministry of Water Resources said on Wednesday. Spokesperson for the ministry, Ali Hashim, said several wells have been drilled in agricultural areas but these wells are not enough and the Iranian authorities must allow more water to flow down […]
By Layth Mahdi, Agricultural Advisor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Iraqi agriculture production and productivity has been on a linear decline since 2003. Despite this, it remains the second-largest contributor to Iraqi GDP after oil revenues. It has the potential […]
