July 29, 2025

Wheat production in Iraq suffers decline this year

Iraq's wheat production has taken a significant hit in 2025, with output dropping to 5.12 million tons, down from 5.4 million tons in 2024.

The decline is attributed to a severe summer drought, compounded by reduced rainfall and upstream water restrictions from neighbouring countries.

According to Mahdi al-Jubouri, Iraq's Deputy Agriculture Minister, the country planted 5.1 million dunams of wheat this year, but the lack of rain and water releases from Turkey and Iran drastically affected yields.

Before the onset of the war in Ukraine, Iraq achieved wheat self-sufficiency for three consecutive years, with production reaching 4.7 million tonnes in 2019, peaking at 6.2 million tonnes in 2020 and settling around 4.2 million tonnes in 2021.

Due to severe water shortages and advancing desertification, exacerbated by climate change, Iraq faces significant constraints in domestic wheat production, prompting the government to rely on imports to offset the deficit.

The country uses over 80% of its available water supply, leaving it highly exposed to short-term droughts and long-term desertification.

The absence of formal water-sharing agreements with Turkey and Iran, due to historical and geopolitical reasons, has exacerbated the crisis. Their damming of rivers that flow into Iraq has greatly reduced water availability, especially during an already dry winter season.

- Milling Middle East & Africa