Proposed seeds prices do not fit farmers’ efforts – MP

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Trade Ministry’s proposal to change prices of seeds do not fit farmers’ efforts, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s agriculture and irrigation committee said on Monday. “The committee had submitted a suggestion to the government to purchase wheat from farmers for 850 thousands Iraqi dinars (ID) per ton, and barley for 725 thousand ID ($1 = 1170 U.S. dollar) per ton,” Malhan al-Mgoter told IraqiNews.com news agency. “The council of ministers had approved the committee’s suggestion, and farmers had programmed their budgets accordingly,” he said. “Then the Trade Ministry proposed to the cabinet to reduce the price to 625 thousand ID per ton,” he added. “This issue is illogical and will harm farmers,” he stressed. “We call on the government to consider this issue carefully before making a decision regarding the ministry’s proposal,” he noted. MH (P)/SR 1