Erbil’s Grain Trade Directorate has asked Iraq’s Ministry of Trade to transfer 40,000 tonnes of wheat from Erbil to silos in other Iraq provinces because the grain is currently stored in an open yard and cannot be properly covered.
Miran Bakhtiar, director of grain trade in Erbil, said that authorities originally allocated 122,000 tonnes of wheat for Erbil this year. The directorate later received nearly 67,000 tonnes from farmers in areas covered by Article 140.
In total, silos in Erbil, Qushtapa and Koya received about 197,000 tonnes of wheat.
Bakhtiar said around 40,000 tonnes are now being kept in the yard of the Erbil silo. Officials cannot fully protect the grain from weather conditions. He warned that rainfall could damage the wheat if authorities do not move it quickly.
The directorate has formally contacted Iraq’s Ministry of Trade and explained the risks facing the stored grain. Officials requested permission to transfer the wheat to silos in central and southern Iraq.
Some silos in those provinces have already completed much of their annual intake and still have available storage capacity. Erbil officials believe moving the wheat would reduce the risk of spoilage and protect farmers’ crops from unnecessary losses.
The directorate is now waiting for Baghdad’s response before arranging transport.
Officials say the issue requires a quick decision because the grain remains exposed to changing weather conditions. Any heavy rain could affect quality and reduce its market value.
The proposed transfer would also help ease pressure on Erbil’s storage facilities after this year’s intake exceeded the original allocation.
For now, the 40,000 tonnes remain in the open storage area while local authorities await federal approval to move them to safer facilities elsewhere in Iraq. Officials hope Baghdad will respond promptly and prevent weather-related losses to this year’s wheat harvest.
