Pro Farmer Editors

The U.S. ag attache in Iraq says serious drought conditions will severely damage Iraq’s domestic grain prospects in 2008. The attache says wheat production for all 18 provinces in 2008/09 is forecast at 1.5 MMT, down 36 percent from last year’s estimated harvest of 2.3 MMT. "The predominately rain-fed barley crop is expected to fall even more precipitously (60 percent) with the 2008 crop forecast at 450,000 MT," says the attache.

Link to additional details from attache.

"In an attempt to get ahead of the curve on rising world wheat prices, Iraq stepped up its pace of wheat imports, consequently Post’s estimate of Iraq’s 2007/08 wheat imports was raised to 3.5 MMT. Wheat imports are expected to remain strong in 2008/09 in response to the drought and are forecast at 3.5 MMT," projects the attache.

"In the absence of a concerted campaign to step up feed grain imports, Iraq’s vulnerable livestock sector can be expected to endure economic hardship in the coming year," the attache adds. "The government’s success in introducing new, higher-yielding rice varieties should enable Iraq’s rice production to remain stable in this drought year, with 2008 production estimated at 410,000 MT. Rice imports are also projected to remain stable and are projected at 900,000 MT."