The Ministry of Agriculture in the Kurdistan Region has sent two official letters to Iraq’s Prime Minister and President. These letters urge Baghdad to manage this year’s wheat harvest fairly and scientifically. It also demands a larger share of wheat purchases from Kurdish farmers to reflect actual production levels.
Officials report strong and consistent rainfall across Kurdistan this agricultural season. Farmers cultivated about 3.3 million dunams of land with wheat, benefiting from improved weather conditions.
Agricultural projections suggest production will exceed 2.5 million tons this year, making it one of the strongest harvests in recent years and increasing expectations for government procurement.
Despite this high output, the federal government has set its wheat purchase from the Kurdistan Region at only 292,000 tons. Baghdad justifies the reduction by pointing to financial pressure, limited budget resources, and large wheat reserves from previous years stored in silos across Iraq.
This decision has triggered concern and criticism in Erbil. Regional officials argue that the quota does not match real production figures. They say it also negatively affects farmers who depend heavily on government purchases to sell their harvest at stable prices.
Rizgar Mohammed said the Kurdistan Region officially requested Baghdad to raise its purchase to more than one million tons. He explained that the ministry submitted formal letters to both the Prime Minister and the President of Iraq. He added that the region wants a fair distribution system based on accurate scientific data and actual production capacity.
At the national level, Iraq plans to buy about 3.8 million tons of wheat from farmers across the country. However, Kurdistan continues to receive a significantly smaller share, which regional authorities firmly reject.
The disagreement highlights ongoing tensions between Erbil and Baghdad over agricultural policy, financial rights, and federal procurement decisions during years of high agricultural output.
