Iraq’s wheat fields no longer guarantee bread

Iraq, considered one of the earliest centers of agriculture in human history, is now facing a deep food security challenge. It was in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates around 10,000 years ago that wheat cultivation first began, laying the foundations of settled civilization. Today, however, the country that once “gave wheat to the world” has become heavily dependent on imported flour.

Iraq is currently one of the largest importers of wheat flour globally. The government spends billions of dollars supporting domestic production and purchasing wheat at above-market prices, yet still struggles to meet national demand. Around 100 flour mills in Türkiye effectively operate almost exclusively to serve the Iraqi market.

The situation is further complicated by Iraq’s dependence on water resources beyond its control. Wheat is grown both in rain-fed northern regions and in irrigated southern areas that rely on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. However, up to 90% of the water in these rivers originates outside Iraq, making the country highly vulnerable to decisions made by upstream neighbors.

In recent years, Iraq’s water resources have sharply declined as droughts intensify and river flows decrease. By 2025, authorities were forced to restrict or even ban the cultivation of certain crops due to severe water shortages. This has directly impacted wheat production, which has become increasingly unstable from year to year.

Despite a record harvest in 2024 that briefly raised hopes of self-sufficiency, production fell again the following year due to climate stress and drought conditions. As a result, Iraq has been forced to increase imports to cover domestic needs, highlighting the fragility of its agricultural system.

An additional burden comes from Iraq’s long-standing food subsidy system, established in the 1990s, which requires millions of tons of wheat annually to sustain basic food distribution. The system is largely funded by oil revenues, making it vulnerable to global oil price fluctuations and raising questions about its long-term sustainability.

Tags: wheat, flour, Iraq