Iraq exports tomatoes abroad for first time: 1,000 tons to Kuwait

Shafaq News- Basra

Iraq has exported tomatoes abroad for the first time, sending a 1,000-ton shipment to Kuwait through the Safwan border crossing in Basra province.

In a statement, the Ministry of Agriculture said the export followed a production surplus during the current agricultural season, after domestic demand was fully met.

Aqeel Jawad, director of the exporting company, told Shafaq News that the shipment departed on Thursday from Safwan in refrigerated trucks, marking “the first instance of Iraqi tomatoes reaching foreign markets.”

Jawad said the consignment is destined for four Gulf countries —the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait— citing improved crop quality and increased output this season as key factors behind the export.

Last October, the Ministry of Agriculture imposed a ban on the import of more than 40 agricultural products, including tomatoes and potatoes, to boost domestic production and achieve self-sufficiency.

Oil exports, however, continue to account for more than 95% of Iraq’s total export revenues, underscoring the limited but growing role of non-oil sectors such as agriculture.