Iraqi MOA: our contribution to the GDP exceeds what was mentioned by the Ministry of Planning

Shafaq News / The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture stated that its contribution to the GDP exceeds what was mentioned by the Ministry of Planning.

A spokesman for the Ministry, Hamid Al-Nayef, said in an interview with Shafaq News agency, "What was brought by the Ministry of Planning of the contribution of the agricultural sector to the GDP amounting to more than 4.7% may have been for a previous period."

Al-Nayef added, "The contribution of the agricultural sector to the gross domestic product was 2.5% over the past years," adding that the percentage brought by the Ministry of Planning is considered a positive thing for the Ministry's ambition to reach its contribution to 20% during the coming period."

"The ministry has new data on the estimates of the agricultural sector's contribution to the GDP, which exceeds the estimates of the Ministry of Planning, and are expected to be announced within the next two months", he added. 

The Central Statistics Agency, affiliated with the Ministry of Planning, announced that the agricultural sector's contribution to the GDP during 2020 is 4.77%.

This summer, the Ministry of Agriculture banned the import of 28 vegetable crops, some animal products, as well as wheat and barley, to protect local production. 

In August of 2008, the Iraqi government launched a comprehensive agricultural initiative to improve the agricultural situation in the country, and set a time limit of ten years for Iraq to reach the stage of self-sufficiency in strategic crops.