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Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi government started rice farming again after a suspension that lasted for two years.

Due to a lack of water, rice farming was put on hold for two years in Iraq. However, the country is currently studying a strain of rice that uses less water than the varieties that are typically cultivated, according to Reuters.

In a statement to Reuters, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mahdi Al-Jubouri, explained that the Iraqi government has set aside 150 square kilometers (58 square miles) for rice cultivation this season, with an expected yield of 150,000 tons.

According to officials, the abundance of water is a result of heavy winter rainfall and the anticipated increase in water flows from Turkey.

This comes after a two-year ban on rice cultivation, during which only 5 to 10 square kilometers of rice were planted each year for the purpose of extracting seeds due to a water shortage caused by dams constructed by Turkey and Iran, less rainfall, and other issues related to climate change.

After Iraq was a major producer of rice, wheat, and barley for decades, salinity in the soil, inadequate irrigation practices, droughts, and decades of conflict affected the country’s agricultural sector and made it a major buyer on international markets.

According to officials, Iraq would still need to import about 1.25 million tons of rice in 2024 to be able to fulfill domestic demand.

Source : iraqinews