Browse Data and Analysis

Since December 2022, rainfall across most of Iraq has been positive, expected to result in favorable yields and increased production for winter crops wheat and barley, with rice expected to rebound this summer for marketing year (MY) 2023/24.

On September 29, 2022, Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health published updated precautionary requirements for some imported foodstuffs lifting a ban on U.S. poultry and poultry products from all U.S. states.

On September 21, 2022, Kuwait’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued administrative decree number 1895 for the year 2022 adopting a regionalization model to the county level for U.S. outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza (HPAI). The decree lifted a previous ban on all non-heat treated poultry meat (fresh, chilled, frozen, and processed), poultry products and table eggs from 24 U.S. states. The decree also includes changes for other trade partners. An unofficial translation for the decree is included in this report.

On May 17, the Government of Iraq (GOI) announced higher purchase prices for locally-produced wheat in an effort to incentivize farmers to market their crop to the Ministry of Trade. On June 8, the GOI also passed a food security bill that allows the government to use public funds to meet urgent food needs, including issuing tenders to import wheat.

Continued drought and water shortages is affecting economic activities in Iraq, especially grain production in 2022. The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture cut agricultural cropping in irrigated areas to 50 percent less than the previous year due to shortages in surface water.

The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture recently released its 2021 plans for total planted area of summer crops – corn and rice – following approval by the Ministry of Water Resources.

Effective April 15, Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture issued a number of decisions to restrict the transshipment of wheat and barley inside Iraq to limit the entry of crops from unknown sources.

Overall U.S. agricultural and related product exports to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait (GCC-4) are higher by 3 percent from January to March 2021 compared to the same time last year.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional political and economic treaty organization comprised of the Arabian Gulf nations of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

This report identifies certification requirements for U.S. food and agricultural products destined for the State of Qatar.

On March 15, 2020, Qatar's Crisis Management Committee within the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) implemented a stimulus package to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on economic...

Update on Kuwait bans on U.S. food products.