Baghdad: Members of Parliament called on Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi to intervene urgently to support farmers by disbursing their outstanding financial dues. The call for intervention highlights the critical situation facing the agricultural sector, with significant financial arrears putting pressure on the farmers who form the backbone of the nation’s food security.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the head of the Agriculture, Water, and Marshes Committee, MP Faleh al-Khazali, emphasized during a joint press conference with members of the General Union of Farmers the need for government action. The parliamentary recommendations, previously voted on by the Council of Representatives, urge the government to release the farmers’ dues for the 2025 agricultural season, totaling 1.05 trillion Iraqi dinars, and for the current 2026 season, amounting to 3.48 trillion Iraqi dinars.

These financial dues are owed to farmers who have delivered their crops to the state as part of the food ration program, which includes the distribution of wheat. The delay in payment threatens the livelihood of the farming community, comprising 10 million Iraqis, and poses a risk to the nation’s food security. MP Faleh al-Khazali’s remarks underscore the essential role of the agricultural sector in sustaining the Iraqi state’s food supply.