Page 29 - FULL YEAR BOOK 2021

Iraq

The plan for MY 2020/21 was to plant production to reach 1.675 MMT on 2020/21 total barley consumption to
2.29 million hectares of wheat throughout increased planned cultivation areas reach 1.685 MMT. Iraqis generally use
Iraq, in both rainfed and irrigated to offset declined yields as the Iraqi barley as animal feed for sheep, goats,
zones. This plan does not include the government aims to keep barley and beef and dairy cattle, which would
area in Iraqi Kurdistan (KRG) where production stable. Post is also raising MY compete directly with feed grade wheat.
about additional 766,000 hectares were 2019/20 barley production to 1.65 MMT Some bread and other dishes for human
planned for wheat. and lowering MY 2018/19 production to consumption are produced with barley.
320 TMT based on new data. However, barley in this case is mostly
It is anticipated that MY 2020/21 imported from Turkey and the volumes
planting may not cover the entire planned Official data from Iraq’s Central are low.
areas specified in the agricultural plan Statistic Organization showed that barley
due to low rainfall that was not evenly production in MY 2019/20 was 1.65 Paddy rice planting in Iraq starts from
distributed during the wheat planting MMT. Barley production in the rainfed the second half of May for the early
and growing period. Moreover, the area was 84 percent and the remaining varieties Meshkab 1 and Eba 1, while the
unexpected spread of COVID-19 in production (16 percent) was produced in planting of the late varieties – namely
Iraq and the subsequent lockdown and the irrigated area. This rise in production Anber 33, Anber Baghdad, Anber Furat,
curfew applied led to the late plantation, was due to farmers increased cultivation and Anber Manathera – start in June. In
especially in the rain-fed zones. area compared to the previous year. northern Iraq, planting of the Bazyan 56
Consumption: Additionally, yields were higher that variety begins in April and continues
through the end of May. Rice harvesting
season as farmers were able to access
subsidized seeds, fertilizers, and takes place in October for the early
Post estimates MY 2020/21 total pesticides. According to MOA, the varieties.
consumption to reach 8.8 MMT on higher planned area for barley cultivation in
food, seed, and industrial consumption. MY 2020/21 is 1.375 million hectares, Cultivation of paddy rice was
The 2020 population of Iraq is estimated not including the KRG area which is an prohibited in southern Iraq due to
at 40.2 million with a growth rate of 2.6 additional 160,239 hectares. water shortages and the high amounts
percent per annum. In addition, there are of water used to cultivate paddy.
many Iraqis returning post-war, adding In MY 2018/19, barley production However, following the announcement
further upward pressure on consumption. was 320 TMT, 37 percent less than the of a complete ban on rice cultivation
Ongoing annual consumption drawn previous season. Outside of the KRG in early June 2018, the Iraqi Ministry
from the Public Distribution System area, Al Qadissyia governorate ranked of Water Resources agreed to allow
ration and the import of wheat and flour first producing 65 TMT (34 percent) of the farmers to plant 5000 donum (1,250 ha)
for different purposes contributes to the total barley production followed by Al of paddy rice later the same month. The
consumption rate as well. Muthana governorate producing 35 TMT drought spurring the ban continued until
(19 percent) and Missan governorate November 2018, forcing Iraqi officials
Production: producing 26 TMT (14 percent). to direct available water resources
to drinking water, industrial use, and
Post estimates MY 2020/21 barley Consumption: Post forecasts MY horticulture crops. The prohibition
Barley Production, Supply, and Demand Statistics initially included rice, corn, cotton and
sesame was lifted for the 2019 growing
season.
Barley 2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/2021
Production:
Market Begin Year Jul 2018 Jul 2019 Jul 2020
USDA New USDA New USDA New Post estimates MY 2020/21 milled
Iraq
Official Post Official Post Official Post rice production will reach 171 TMT from
Area Harvested 600 278 1200 1000 0 1535 an area harvested of 99,000 hectares.
The MOA planned planted area for MY
Beginning Stocks 11 11 11 11 0 26
2019/20 is 98,620 hectares, a 40 percent
Production 780 320 1600 1650 0 1675 drop from the planted area in MY 2018/19
MY Imports 30 30 0 5 0 5 of 162,690 hectares due to robust water
conservation measures.
TY Imports 30 30 0 5 0 5
Paddy production was 575 TMT in MY
TY Imp. from U.S. 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019/20, an increase of over 3000 percent
Total Supply 821 361 1611 1666 0 1706 over MY 2018/19 due to the ban on rice
MY Exports 0 0 0 0 0 0 cultivation. Najaf governorate ranked
first in production at 45 percent followed
TY Exports 0 0 0 0 0 0
by Qadissyia governorate at 39 percent.
Feed and Residual 650 320 1200 1330 0 1375 The capacity of the MOA to provide
FSI Consumption 160 30 300 310 0 310 seeds to Iraqi farmers is only 1000 MT
and the rest are either purchased on the
Total Consumption 810 350 1500 1640 0 1685
local market or from reserved grain from
Ending Stocks 11 11 111 26 0 21 the previous season.
Total Distribution 821 361 1611 1666 0 1706 In 2018, paddy rice cultivation
Yield 1.3 1.15 1.33 1.65 0 1.09 decreased drastically due to the
prohibition of rice cultivation as a result
(1000 HA), (1000 MT), (MT/HA)
of drought and rainfall shortages. In
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