In 2024, the Kurdistan Region saw its agricultural sector reach a milestone, exporting over a million tons of fruits and vegetables to central and southern Iraq. Official data highlighted that approximately 41,000 trucks, facilitated by support letters from Erbil's agricultural directorate, transported around 750,000 tons of local produce to these regions, as stated by Hoshyar Jalil, an official with Erbil's agricultural directorate. These exports occurred post-satisfaction with local demand and included watermelon, melon, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, eggplant, and peppers as the primary commodities.
Further breakdown of the export figures reveals that Sulaimani contributed around 375,000 tons of produce to the total exports in the first ten months of 2024, according to the Sulaimani Agricultural Directorate. Additionally, Duhok province exported 253,905 tons of local produce to central and southern Iraq in the same timeframe, as informed by Jihan Rasoul, a spokesperson for the Duhok Agriculture Directorate.
The cumulative exports for 2024 from the Kurdistan Region neared 1.4 million tons, showcasing a significant period of productivity, especially during the summer months which are deemed the golden season for ripening agricultural products. This export activity aligns with the Kurdistan Regional Government's objective to diversify the Region's economy, leveraging its agricultural potential to extend its market reach beyond local borders, despite the reliance on imports from neighboring countries for a majority of its agricultural needs. Notably, December 2022 marked a historic moment for the Region with its first-ever export of renowned pomegranates to Gulf countries, signifying a pivotal step towards expanding its economic landscape beyond oil exports.
Source: Rudaw