Shafaq News / Due to the lack of subsidy and the high labor cost in comparison to the income, Mohammad Abu Seif might not ponder taking risks on his farm this year for fear of last replicating last year's losses.

Last year, when he sold his apple crop, he spent as much as he gained, while this year, his profits dissipated between seeds, fertilizer, and watering.

Abu Saif told Shafaq News agency that he intends to abandon his land this year and seek other sources of income until the problem with imported crops -which has greatly harmed the reality of agriculture and the sale of local crops- is over.

The government support is completely absent, according to Abo Saif. No fertilizer or seeds are provided, nor sprinklers and machinery.

He also pointed out that many like him may abandon their land this year, for they can not afford other seasons with no profits.

Aisha Ahmed, who works on small land with her family, cultivating vegetables and seasonal crops, said that she and her husband are tired of the futile work.

She also said that what they get is barely enough for daily living, and opened up about their difficult reality amid the absence of government support.

Aisha told Shafaq News agency that imported crops affect selling their local crops: "If we do not work in agriculture, we will not gain anything. What we get at the end of the season is not enough to pay for workers if we use them in the planting season," she said.

Radwan Mahmoud, another farmer from Mosul, said, "We have two main problems; the lack of government support and a clear plan to deal with the imported crop. If there were good planning, we would not have come to this point."

Speaking to Shafaq News agency, Mahmoud warned of the seriousness of what this field is currently going through, "Thousands of farmers may abandon it if they find other livelihoods to support their families."

"Agriculture is dying day by day. It will cease to exist if the government does not find realistic solutions to deal with the imported crops and support the local farmer with seeds, fertilizers, or other needs," he said.

"If there were a real will, Iraq would export crops to neighboring countries, but the current reality makes us buy everything while we are in a country pierced by two rivers of pure water. No one appreciates the grace we have been granted and uses it to make the agriculture sector a competitor even to the oil sector," he continued.

Farhan Ahmed, a farmer from Sinjar district, said, "The suffering everyone talked about is their reality. For example, last summer, I had land where tomatoes were planted in abundance, but the market prices were not as ambitious."

"If prices had not skyrocketed in the last month of the picking and selling season, we would have lost a whole year's profit," Farhan told Shafaq News agency, adding, "The money we have earned is only enough to pay for the expenses, as we buy seeds, fertilizers, and fuel on credit, which we pay at the end of the season."

This year, Farhan is reluctant to farm for fear of repeating last year's tragedy, similar to thousands of other farmers.