Iraq Approves Wheat Purchase Plan to Support Kurdistan Region Farmers

Iraqi PM’s media office

Iraqi PM chairs Council of Ministers’ meeting.

The Iraqi Council of Ministers has approved a major agricultural measure to purchase 400,000 tonnes of wheat from farmers in the Kurdistan Region during the 2025–2026 harvest season, setting the price at 700,000 Iraqi dinars per tonne.

The decision was taken during the Cabinet’s regular session on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, chaired by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Media Office, discussions focused on the overall situation in the country, alongside a review of agenda items and the adoption of necessary decisions.

The Cabinet also assessed the performance of ministries and state institutions in implementing government directives aimed at reducing expenditure, increasing revenues, and addressing Iraq’s financial challenges. The review examined the extent to which these objectives have been achieved.

In what officials described as a move to ensure fairness to farmers, the Council approved revised wheat pricing and procurement plans for the 2025–2026 agricultural season. Farmers included in the official agricultural plan will receive 700,000 dinars per tonne, while those outside the plan will be paid 500,000 dinars per tonne.

The Cabinet further outlined yield calculations based on irrigation methods: 900 kilograms per dunam for land using modern irrigation systems, 750 kilograms per dunam for flood-irrigated land, and 300 kilograms per dunam for rain-fed agriculture.

As part of efforts to strengthen agricultural inputs, the government also approved the purchase of 100,000 tonnes of high-grade wheat seeds at the same rate of 700,000 dinars per tonne.

The Kurdistan Region’s share of the national wheat marketing plan has been set at 400,000 tonnes, including 292,000 tonnes within the official plan and 108,000 tonnes outside it.

In a bid to ease financial pressures on farmers, the Council agreed to settle outstanding payments for both the previous (2024–2025) and current (2025–2026) seasons. This will be facilitated by incorporating loan amounts and accrued interest into the forthcoming draft general budget law, with the Ministry of Finance providing guarantees for repayment to the Trade Bank of Iraq.

Additionally, the Cabinet approved a temporary suspension of payments owed by farmers for agricultural land rentals to the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as irrigation fees to the Ministry of Water Resources, until farmers receive their dues for wheat deliveries.

In a separate decision, the Council endorsed a recommendation to reopen the import of table eggs, provided that financial transfers are conducted through the official prior declaration mechanism.

Several other decisions and recommendations were also issued following the session.


PUKMEDIA