Strategic plan to confront high foodstuff prices in Iraq

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A strategic plan is underway to confront foodstuff price hikes in Iraq, according to Undersecretary of Agriculture Mahdi Dhumad al-Qaisy on Friday. “Our Ministry has laid down an important plan to confront the sharp increase in foodstuff prices due to the global climate changes, which had a passive impact on the production of agricultural crops,” Qaisy told IraqiNews.com news agency. He added that the Ministry had commenced started implementing a strategic project for irrigation technologies for wheat and barley over an area of 3 million donums all over Iraq. One Iraqi donum equals 2500 square meters. Qaisy pointed out that motive of the above plan is to achieve self-sufficiency and cover ration card items, through using the technologies of irrigation for areas ranging from 60 to 120 donums, with state subsidy up to 50%. “The Ministry has developed under-cover agriculture through greenhouses in Najaf and Karbala, which had achieved vegetables self-sufficiency, during the period between April and September ,” he said. SKH (S)/AmR 1