Farmers in the Kurdistan Region are encountering difficulties in selling their agricultural products due to competition from imports. This situation has led to significant losses, with some farmers having surplus stock from the previous year. A farmer from Duhok reported having 150 tons of unsold potatoes, attributing his inability to sell to the influx of cheaper imports from Iran. This competition has drastically reduced the selling price of local potatoes.
Local markets in Duhok are filled with a variety of produce, both locally grown and imported, with over 33 types of produce identified in one warehouse alone. Despite the challenges faced by local farmers, the Kurdistan Region's Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Begard Talabani, expressed optimism about the domestic market's capacity to absorb local products, highlighting ongoing efforts to support farmers.
The Kurdistan Regional Government is focusing on agriculture as a key sector for economic diversification and has implemented measures to reduce potato imports. The KRG has identified agriculture as a sector it wants to develop as part of efforts to diversify the economy away from oil. The Region is projected to produce 750,000 tons of potatoes in 2023, according to a statement from the KRG which added that the government is now taking measures to curb the import of potatoes from other countries.
The Region recently achieved a milestone by exporting pomegranates, marking its first non-oil export. This development is part of broader efforts to leverage the Region's agricultural potential.
Source: rudaw.net