ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq has enough wheat in storage to meet domestic demand for another year and a half, the trade ministry said on Monday, assuring that food supplies remain stable despite disruptions to regional trade caused by the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran.
“There’s enough wheat in the warehouses for another year and a half,” Trade Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Hanoun told Rudaw on Monday, adding that this “ensures the stability of flour production and the supply of wheat to mills.”
His remarks come as the US-Israel war with Iran, which began late February when Washington and Tel Aviv carried out joint airstrikes against Tehran, has effectively halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global maritime chokepoint.
Hanoun said the government has prioritized safeguarding the country’s food supply.
“The food security file is among the government's top priorities, and our warehouses possess a large strategic reserve of basic foodstuffs such as rice, sugar, oil, and legumes, and the distribution of monthly food rations to citizens continues regularly,” he said.
He added that the ministry is taking steps to reinforce those reserves and prevent price gouging, noting that the government is also launching a plan to build modern silos and new grain storage facilities.
Hanoun urged citizens not to panic-buy food. “We call on citizens not to be affected by rumors. There is no need to store large quantities of food because markets are full of goods,” he said, stressing that authorities are closely monitoring the situation to maintain food stability.
Despite regional tensions, Iraq’s land border crossings remain open and commercial activity continues, Alauddin al-Qaisi, spokesperson for the Iraqi Border Ports Commission, told Rudaw on Saturday.
In addition, Iraq has approved the import of food and medicine through the Kurdistan Region’s Ibrahim Khalil border crossing with Turkey for three months, Samer Qasim Dawood, head of Iraq’s General Customs Authority, told Rudaw on Monday.
Following the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June 2025, bilateral trade declined. Hanoun told Rudaw in late September that Iraq exported $178 million worth of goods to Iran while importing $4.328 billion. In 2024, the total trade volume between the two countries stood at $12.5 billion.
“There’s enough wheat in the warehouses for another year and a half,” Trade Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Hanoun told Rudaw on Monday, adding that this “ensures the stability of flour production and the supply of wheat to mills.”
His remarks come as the US-Israel war with Iran, which began late February when Washington and Tel Aviv carried out joint airstrikes against Tehran, has effectively halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global maritime chokepoint.
Hanoun said the government has prioritized safeguarding the country’s food supply.
“The food security file is among the government's top priorities, and our warehouses possess a large strategic reserve of basic foodstuffs such as rice, sugar, oil, and legumes, and the distribution of monthly food rations to citizens continues regularly,” he said.
He added that the ministry is taking steps to reinforce those reserves and prevent price gouging, noting that the government is also launching a plan to build modern silos and new grain storage facilities.
Hanoun urged citizens not to panic-buy food. “We call on citizens not to be affected by rumors. There is no need to store large quantities of food because markets are full of goods,” he said, stressing that authorities are closely monitoring the situation to maintain food stability.
Despite regional tensions, Iraq’s land border crossings remain open and commercial activity continues, Alauddin al-Qaisi, spokesperson for the Iraqi Border Ports Commission, told Rudaw on Saturday.
In addition, Iraq has approved the import of food and medicine through the Kurdistan Region’s Ibrahim Khalil border crossing with Turkey for three months, Samer Qasim Dawood, head of Iraq’s General Customs Authority, told Rudaw on Monday.
Following the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June 2025, bilateral trade declined. Hanoun told Rudaw in late September that Iraq exported $178 million worth of goods to Iran while importing $4.328 billion. In 2024, the total trade volume between the two countries stood at $12.5 billion.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment