Experts call for 'licensing rounds "to invest 52 million agricultural acres



Views 16 Date 17/01/2017 - 19:54

Economy News / Follow-up





A parliamentary committee: the problems of the agricultural sector to prevent open to investment


Iraqi government called on farmers to organize Phones agricultural licenses inviting foreign companies to invest in agricultural land, resembling Phones oil licensing organized by Iraq during the past years.


The call comes in light of the arrival of Iraq's import of agricultural crops with 54 billion dollars over 13 years.

In turn, official statistics revealed the presence of six million acres were planted out of 52 million acres of arable. Agriculture contributes about 7% of GDP, which was, according to statistics of the World Bank, 168.6 billion dollars.

And provided agricultural expert Riad Abdelkarim study to the Iraqi government inviting them to organize Phones licenses for agricultural development of agriculture and livestock.

Said Abdul Karim said that "the agricultural sector in Iraq is very backward and still using primitive methods of agriculture and irrigation, so it presented an integrated plan to the government to regulate Phones agricultural licenses," he said, adding that "the government welcomed the idea and confirmed that it will apply in the coming period."

And saw agricultural expert that "the global agricultural companies when you open the door for investment before attending the force in Iraq, and will rehabilitate the agriculture sector and the establishment of plants for the processing of agricultural products," pointing out that "the agreement with agricultural companies include coverage of domestic consumption for a specific period of time and then begin the export of agricultural products ".

Iraqi expert stressed "the need not to repeat the mistakes that occurred in the oil licensing Phones", calling on the government to "choice of agricultural land in safe areas."

Riad Abdelkarim He noted that "the development of Iraqi agriculture is not only across its global businesses through the use of modern methods and staff development which serves the interests of the farmer and the citizen," adding that "Phones agricultural licenses will transform Iraq from a net importer to the source."

Several difficulties facing the recovery of the agricultural sector, including water scarcity, and deteriorating security situation, Kninoy, Anbar and Salahuddin, which is famous for the cultivation of strategic crops such as wheat and barley as well as fruits and vegetables.

Since 2003, Iraq imported agricultural goods amounting to 54.1 billion dollars, according to the balance of payments of the Central Bank.

In turn, the Ministry of Agriculture welcomed the organizing Phones licenses with a view to improving the situation of the agricultural sector.

He said agent Mahdi al-Qaisi, the Minister of Agriculture said that "a solution to save agriculture, is entering the investment to bring in large amounts of capital, in addition to the introduction of modern equipment in agriculture and irrigation."

The al-Qaisi said "organizing licensing rounds must be within the enactment or new guidelines set by the government," noting that "one of the problems that stand in the investment, at the moment, is the scarcity of the Euphrates River, and the threat to the Tigris river due to the establishment of Turkey to fill Aliso. "

He Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture that "the contribution of the agricultural sector in GDP has fallen in recent years from 11% to 7% currently."

In the meantime, agricultural expert said Hisham gunner (range), "The organizing Phones agricultural licenses will lead to the development of the agricultural sector in the event of the coming of the global agricultural companies but not weak companies."

He said the artillery that "Iraq where there are suitable for agriculture, water and land of labor, and the investment companies only bring technology and experts," adding that "the Iraqi environment ripe for corporate work, especially after the liberation of Mosul stage of organizing Daesh."

The agricultural expert pointed out that "foreign companies can be rented state land they are great, but for 40 years. It can be produced and issued in addition to the local development of livestock production."

But MP Furat al-Tamimi, head of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Water, has ruled out organizing Phones agricultural licenses because of the big problems in the agricultural sector.

He said al-Tamimi (range), "There is no ability to implement licensing rounds Agricultural similar to oil licensing rounds because the problems of the agricultural sector is very large."

The President of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture that "the Iraqi peasants are able to promote the agricultural sector if given the right conditions for it as they have done so at the time of the embargo on Iraq."

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