The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture has decided to ban the import of 44 agricultural and livestock products due to their abundant local production. A proposal to export surplus Iraqi agricultural products is being discussed.
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mahdi Sahar Al-Jubouri, stated that "as part of the ministry's strategy to protect local production, the import of 44 agricultural and livestock products has been banned due to their abundant local production and stable prices in local markets."
He added, "This policy is pursued by the Ministry to support local production by aligning local production with covering production costs, ensuring a profit margin for producers, and stabilizing prices for consumers."
He pointed to the "need to tighten controls at border crossings to prevent the smuggling of goods into Iraq and to implement decisions to protect local production."
He continued, "Despite the water scarcity and drought facing Iraq, the agricultural sector has expanded its use of modern irrigation technologies, including fixed and drip irrigation systems, to produce crops and vegetables."
He said, "This has encouraged farmers to adopt these technologies on the one hand and also increased local production on the other. This necessitates encouraging the export of surplus agricultural products to maintain the surplus supply of locally produced products."
He added, "A customs tariff is being set for most agricultural products to maintain the high prices of these products relative to the cost of local production, thus achieving fairness in price competition between local and imported products."
Iraq bans the import of 44 agricultural and animal products and crops. A proposal to export surplus Iraqi agricultural products is being discussed.
