Iraq expects bumper harvest and record yields
Iraq says its barley and wheat growers have managed to boost production and quality to levels prevalent in the United States.
Harvest is in full-swing in southern Iraq and officials speak of record yields.
It is too early to decided the volume of this year’s harvest, but given the initial reports the country is on its way for record yields.
The head of the agricultural department in the southern province of Karbala, Mohammed al-Ardawi, said, “a donum of land (about 2500 square meters) has given Iraqi farmers on average more than 1,500 kilograms of wheat.”
“The quality of the harvest matches the imports we get from the United States,” he said.
In good years with sufficient rain, Iraq produces more than 2 million tons of wheat, but most of it has been of a very low quality.
Iraq relies heavily on imports to meet most of its food needs. The food import bill is estimated to cost the treachery about $5 billion every year.
“The reason for the purity of the harvest is Iraqi farmers’ increased knowledge of cultivation and the assistance the states offers them to improve techniques,” he added.
Southern provinces complain that their silos will not be enough to store this year’s harvest and have urged central government to provide additional storage.
Harvest in northern Iraq, where most of the country’s grain-producing plains are situated, is to start by early next month.
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