The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has approved a one-month customs exemption for companies and traders exporting wheat produced by farmers in the Kurdistan Region.
The decision aims to make wheat exports easier and provide additional support to local farmers and traders.
According to an official letter signed by Omed Sabah, head of the Council of Ministers’ Diwan, the KRG issued the decision on August 17, 2026.
The letter, numbered 2554, instructs the relevant authorities to take the necessary steps to waive customs fees for companies and traders exporting wheat produced by farmers in the Kurdistan Region.
The exemption will remain in effect for one month.
Bargasht Akreyi, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region Investment Board, said traders had requested the customs exemption.
He explained that the Council of Ministers approved the measure to simplify the wheat export process.
The decision could benefit farmers as well as traders. Easier exports could create additional opportunities for farmers to sell their wheat after meeting domestic purchasing requirements.
Akreyi also said two private companies are purchasing wheat from local farmers.
Qaiwan Company in Sulaymaniyah and Khoshnaw Company in Erbil and Duhok have purchased nearly 230,000 tons of wheat from farmers so far.
The companies are buying the wheat as part of private-sector activity in the agricultural market.
The KRG decision comes after Iraq introduced limits on wheat purchases from the Kurdistan Region this year.
The Iraqi government decided to purchase only 400,000 tons of wheat from the Kurdistan Region.
Of that amount, authorities purchased around 292,000 tons at a price of 700,000 Iraqi dinars per ton. This wheat came from farms included in the official agricultural plan.
Authorities also purchased more than 108,000 tons produced outside the agricultural plan.
The government purchased the additional wheat at 500,000 dinars per ton.
The new customs exemption could therefore help traders find additional markets for surplus Kurdish wheat.
It could also reduce export costs and encourage greater private-sector participation in agricultural trade.
For farmers, the measure may provide another sales channel and reduce pressure caused by limited government purchases.
The KRG hopes the decision will support agricultural production while strengthening wheat exports and creating greater opportunities for local producers.
