Iraq’s Basra wheat intake set to exceed 24K tons
Shafaq News- Basra
Wheat intake in southern Iraq’s Basra province is projected to exceed 24,000 tons this agricultural season, a local official told Shafaq News on Tuesday, with marketing operations now underway.
Receiving centers are fully prepared, offering sufficient silo capacity and a regulated system to manage truck entry and unloading, according to Hadi Hussein, head of the Basra Agriculture Directorate. Peak deliveries, he noted, are anticipated in May and will continue through June, while urging farmers to adhere to schedules to ensure smooth processing.
Harvesting began last week in Basra with average yields of about 750 kg per dunam (0.25 hectares), covering 3,937 dunams under the government plan and 7,500 dunams outside it.
In Kirkuk, production is projected at around 600,000 tons this season, reinforcing its role as a key grain-producing province. Zuhair Ali Hussein, head of the Kirkuk Agriculture Directorate, said average yields are estimated at about 1,250 kilograms per dunam, supported by improved farming methods, technical assistance, and favorable weather. Iraq’s 2026 wheat production is forecast at 5 million tons, down from 6.3 million in 2025, while imports are expected to rise to 2.1 million tons.
