Kurdistan Region’s Agriculture Ministry Reports on Livestock Dynamics
Raber Mohammed, the Director-General of Animal Resources and Veterinary Affairs in the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kurdistan Region, announced today (Wednesday, January 29, 2025) that local livestock production is increasingly pivotal following the Iraqi government’s restrictions on livestock and resources from the Kurdistan region destined for other Iraqi provinces.
Mohammed stated, “After Iraq imposed a ban on the transfer of livestock and resources from the Kurdistan Region to other provinces, great pressure has arose for our projects, which has consequently led to challenges in the production continuity of livestock.”
Currently, livestock farms in the Kurdistan Region account for 30% of Iraq’s total livestock demand.
According to the Director-General, “The ban on livestock resources destined for Iraq has created intense pressure for farm owners, as supply is abundant while demand is dwindling.”
Following reports indicating that “the Ministry of Agriculture teams faced obstacles,” Raber Mohammed noted, “Under the established plan, local livestock resources have been distributed throughout the cities of the Kurdistan Region.”
He further emphasized, “The transfer of livestock between cities within the Kurdistan Region should remain unimpeded; however, where any transfer to another location is proposed, it is necessary to adhere to the veterinary ministry’s regulations, at which point transfer licenses will be granted.”
There are nearly two thousand livestock farms in the Kurdistan Region. The Director-General reported that “inspections for livestock are conducted across all farms and, as of now, no cases of avian influenza have been reported.”
In an announcement released on January 27, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture in Iraq declared, “By order of Abbas Jabir Maliki, the Agriculture Minister, the Ministry has instituted a ban on the movement of livestock and resources from the Kurdistan Region to other provinces.”
The release further stated, “This decision is a pre-emptive health measure until the health conditions in the Kurdistan Region become clearer, pending the results of the required veterinary inspections, ensuring the safety of livestock projects within the Kurdistan Region from avian influenza outbreaks.”
Annually, the Kurdistan Region produces approximately 250,000 tons of sheep meat, while the domestic demand stands at around 146,000 tons. Given the high domestic requirement, additional supplies are sourced from the provinces of Iraq.
Iraq’s annual demand for sheep meat reaches one million tons, whereas local production is around 350,000 tons.