The Kurdistan Regional Ministry of Trade has announced a shift to an electronic monthly food ration payment system. The new system will replace cash payments and rely on bank cards and digital transactions. Officials say the move reflects a broader effort to modernize public services and adopt digital solutions.
Under the updated system, citizens in the Kurdistan Region will pay their food ration fees electronically when collecting their monthly supplies. Payments will move directly from ration agents to the company responsible for food distribution, reducing the role of intermediaries.
For the past two years, the Kurdistan Region has already used electronic transfers to manage food ration payments. Authorities now plan to fully apply this system at the citizen level, making digital payment mandatory at ration shops. This change aims to standardize the payment process across all areas.
Hajar Taher, Director of Food Distribution in Duhok, confirmed the change. She said citizens will soon be required to pay ration agents using a bank card. She also explained that one bank card can be used to pay food ration fees for several families, which may help households manage payments more easily.
Therefore, to support the system, the food distribution company will provide ration agents with POS devices. When citizens arrive to collect their rations, agents will process payments electronically through these machines. Some agents have already received POS devices, and distribution will continue across the Kurdistan Region in the coming period.
The new electronic monthly food ration payment system will require citizens to have an active bank card. Officials say the system will reduce cash handling, limit errors, and improve transparency in food distribution. They also expect it to improve record-keeping and monitoring.
Starting with the first food ration distribution of 2026, the monthly fee will increase to 1,000 Iraqi dinars per person. Ration agents will collect the fee electronically under the new system, with payments recorded instantly.
Officials believe the digital shift will modernize food ration services, strengthen accountability, and improve efficiency across the Kurdistan Region.
