In a strategic move aimed at protecting domestic production and enhancing food security, the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture officially announced a ban on the import of 11 agricultural crops and products, coinciding with the release of details of the agricultural plan for the current winter season. These decisions come as part of the Iraqi government's efforts to achieve balance in the local market and reduce reliance on imports.
Agricultural calendar mechanism and farm protection
The advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture, Mahdi al-Qaisi, explained that import policy in Iraq is not subject to arbitrary decisions, but rather relies entirely on what is known as the "agricultural calendar." This dynamic mechanism is constantly updated based on indicators of the abundance and scarcity of local produce in the markets. The primary objective of this mechanism is to ensure the availability of crops for citizens at reasonable prices, while preventing the market from being flooded with imported goods that could harm the interests of Iraqi farmers and cause them financial losses.
Al-Qaisi noted that the latest update to the import calendar resulted in a ban on 11 items, including essential vegetables such as beets, turnips, lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage, zucchini, eggplant, and potatoes. The ban also extended to strategic animal and food products, namely table eggs, chicken, honey, and dates, given the current abundance of local production.
The economic context and the importance of the decision
This decision is part of a broader economic vision aimed at preserving hard currency within the country and promoting the agricultural sector, which is the second most important pillar of the Iraqi economy after oil. The ban on date imports, in particular, carries significant symbolic weight given Iraq's historical position as one of the world's largest date producers, and the ministry seeks to revitalize this vital sector.
Regarding the tomato crop, the ministry noted that its import is currently permitted to meet local needs, but this decision is subject to immediate review and may be reinstated later once local production reaches its peak, as the list of prohibited crops usually ranges from 7 to 11 crops depending on the season.
Water challenges and the winter plan
In a related development, the ministry revealed details of its winter agricultural plan, which covers a total area of 4.5 million dunams. Given the water crisis and climate change facing Iraq and the region, the plan relies primarily on groundwater to irrigate 3.5 million dunams, while only 1 million dunams are allocated for surface water (rivers) irrigation.
Al-Qaisi stressed that the plan stipulated the use of modern irrigation systems to rationalize water consumption, but the reality on the ground showed that the available numbers of these systems were not sufficient to cover the targeted areas, which forced the ministry to allow regular (sea) irrigation temporarily to ensure that agriculture would not stop, which reflects the logistical challenges facing the modernization of the agricultural sector in the country.
