Kurdistan's Industry Minister: 300 factories are out of service in Al-Sulaymaniyah 

Shafaq News/ More than 300 factories have been put out of service in Al-Sulaymaniyah for issues related to taxes, electricity, and raw material supply, Kurdistan's Minister of Trade and Industry Kwystan Mohammed said on Sunday.

"The cabinet's program attaches huge importance to diversifying the treasury's income by laying emphasis on agriculture, industry, and other sectors instead of relying on oil as a sole source of income," she told reporters in a press conference after a meeting with the owners of al-Sulaymaniyah factories. 

"We submitted a report of 28 items to the government on the problems facing the manufacturing plants in the Kurdistan region," she added, "a meeting will be held soon with the owners of the factories in al-Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, and Duhok."

"The main problem is the lack of Industrial zones in the governorates," said the minister, "the ministry, along with the chambers of trade, are working out solutions for this issue and the other issues related to customs, electricity, and taxes." 

"Many factories have been shut down because of these problems. Many others will shut down if these problems persist," she said.