Kurdistan Region Slams Baghdad Wheat Quotas as “Unjust”

The Kurdistan Region has raised strong objections to Baghdad’s wheat procurement policy for the 2025–2026 season, describing it as “unjust” and misaligned with actual production levels.

According to regional officials, a federal proposal allocates 3.8 million tons of wheat purchases to central and southern areas, while only 292,000 tons are designated for the Kurdistan Region.

This comes despite expectations that wheat production in the Region could exceed 2.5 million tons this year, supported by favorable rainfall and expanded cultivation across approximately 3.3 million dunams of land.

Officials are calling on Baghdad to increase its procurement to at least 1.25 million tons, arguing that current quotas place disproportionate pressure on local farmers.

Data also highlights a significant disparity in per-dunam allocations, with farmers elsewhere able to sell between 750 and 900 kilograms per dunam, compared to just 88.5 kilograms in the Kurdistan Region.

The policy continues a downward trend in federal purchases, which have declined from around 700,000 tons in 2024 to 292,000 tons this season.

Authorities warn that without sufficient government buying, farmers may be forced to sell wheat at lower prices, exposing them to financial losses and market imbalances.