Penjwen farmers block road to Bashmakh border crossing

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Farmers in Al-Sulaymaniyah’s Penjwen district blocked the main road to the Bashmakh international border crossing with Iran on Wednesday, halting commercial traffic in protest against agricultural imports they argue are undercutting local produce.

A Shafaq News correspondent said demonstrators gathered at the entrance to Penjwen and stopped cargo trucks from reaching the crossing.

Farmers told Shafaq News that foreign tomatoes, peppers, and watermelons entering the market during the local harvest season had pushed prices below production costs. Some produce was entering through illegal channels, they said, calling on the government to impose seasonal restrictions to protect domestic growers.

The protesters vowed to maintain the blockade until authorities address their demands.

Bashmakh is a major commercial gateway between Iraq and Iran, with the Kurdistan Region’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry estimating that about 35% of goods entering Iraq from Iran pass through the crossing.

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