Iraq to increase wheat planting to about 1 million hectares for 2022-2023

Iraq is planning to plant one million hectares with wheat and a small amount of barley in the 2022-2023 winter crop planting season, as reported by the ministry of water resources. The country's cabinet has also directed the trade ministry to import wheat for future storage, due to its status as a major Middle East grain importer and the ongoing water shortages. The 2022 year was identified as the driest since 1930, making it a significant challenge for agricultural activities. In the previous season, Iraq harvested 625,000 hectares.