Kirkuk local administration resumed purchasing farmers’ grains that are mixed with lentils. The decision to purchase the grains was made after farmers demonstration.
With the start of harvesting season, Kirkuk Silo started receiving farmers’ grains, but later halted it, claiming that the wheat and barley products have been mixed with lentils. However, recently a committee was formed by the federal government and once more decided to purchase the grains.
Rakan al-Jabouri, the acting governor of Kirkuk, visited Kirkuk silo yesterday, June 9 and announced that they have received the approval of the ministry of trade to purchase the grains of the farmers, that are mixed with lentils.
A statement issued by the media office of al-Jabouri reveals that the committee has approved the purchase of the total grains of the farmers, adding that the problem has been solved and if any employee makes barriers for the purchase of the grains, he will be held responsible.
The committee, which tests the gain products, consists of representatives of the ministries of trade and agriculture and the national council.
Kirkuk, farmers’ protests against government’s decision not to purchase their wheat and barley products, May 2020. Photo: KirkukNow
Before the formation of the committee, a number of farmers protests the decision of the government not to purchase their grains; however, the security forces dispersed them.
In the protest, one of the farmers told KirkukNow that when the government distributed the wheat seeds over the farmers, that were already mixed with lentil seeds, adding that it is not their fault and the government has to purchase their products.
Zuhair Ali, head of agriculture directorate in Kirkuk, told KirkukNow that, “the harvesting season in Kirkuk is in its final stage and 95 percent of the grain crops have been harvested, which is 500 thousand tons.”
Despite this problem, thousands of grain crops are annually burned and hailstone and heavy rainfall this year damaged many other grain field in Kirkuk and Nineveh.
Kirkuk has a large area of fertile lands, to the degree that yearly one million and 500 thousand donums [each donum is 2,500 square meter] are planted with wheat and barley. 900 thousands donums of the agricultural land is planted with wheat, according to a data published by the agriculture directorate in Kirkuk.
