July 8, 2004

Iraq To Issue New Tenders To Buy Wheat, Rice, Sugar
 
Iraq will soon issue new tenders to buy hard wheat, wheat flour, rice and sugar, newly appointed Trade Minister Mohammed al-Jabouri said Wednesday.
 
"We will issue several tenders to buy wheat flour, hard wheat, rice and sugar," Jabouri told a news conference, the first held since he became Iraq's Trade Minister a few weeks ago.
 
Jabouri said his ministry would sign contracts to buy the mentioned commodities from producers rather than a third party.
 
"We are not going to invite every farmer to participate in these tenders, rather we will invite those who are internationally recognized, such as well-known boards," the minister said.
 
Jabouri said these tenders would be granted to "those who meet our specifications and who offer competitive prices. We will not prefer this country or company upon the other because of its political stands. We will play business in the ministry rather than politics."
 
The minister gave no figures on how much Iraq would buy of these commodities but ministry officials said recently that Iraq would soon tender to buy 100,000 tons of hard wheat, 100,000 to 200,000 tons of wheat flour, and 208,000 tons of sugar.
 
Jabouri said his ministry was planning to hold an international trade fair in November. "We have already started sending invitations to countries and companies to attend Baghdad International Fair."
 
The Baghdad trade fair holds a session every year in November, except last year because of the security situation following the downfall of Saddam's regime in April 2003.