Tomato Crop Marketing in Basra: A Significant Yield and Calls for Protectionist Measures
The Basra Agriculture Directorate has reported the marketing of approximately 300,000 tons of tomatoes over the past four months. In light of this substantial crop yield, the directorate is urging relevant authorities to reinforce protectionist measures by closing border ports to promote local agricultural products.
Hadi Hussein, the director of the Directorate, highlighted that the total volume of tomatoes marketed reached 295,791 tons since the beginning of the marketing season on October 15, 2024, up until March 20, 2025. He remarked that the production and marketing of the tomato crop have progressed at an increasing rate.
Hussein also emphasized the directorate’s ongoing efforts to educate farmers on modern agricultural techniques. This includes ongoing pest and disease control campaigns to ensure product safety, thereby contributing to production increases.
In a related appeal, Hussein called for an end to imports of the tomato crop. He noted that the current surplus in Basra necessitates support for local agricultural products to maintain their presence in the local market.
On January 30, 2025, the Basra Council acknowledged the concerns raised by tomato marketers facing issues of unsold local crops due to persistent imports.
Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources in the Kurdistan Region announced a ban on tomato imports effective February 23, in an effort to bolster support for locally grown products across Iraq.
As regional agricultural dynamics shift, the legislative responses to support local production, such as restricting imports, exemplify the authorities’ commitment to enhancing food security and protecting domestic farmers’ interests.
