The poultry sector is witnessing remarkable growth following the announcement of self-sufficiency in egg production in Iraq—an achievement that reflects the expansion of local projects and their ability to meet market needs without relying on imports. This shift opens the door to a new phase of production and enhances export opportunities in the coming months.

The Iraqi Poultry Producers Association announced that Iraq has officially reached the stage of self-sufficiency in table eggs, confirming that the next step will be to move toward exporting in the near future. The association also revealed the existence of a wide network of nearly 8,000 poultry projects distributed across various provinces.

The Chairman of the Association explained that the commonly cited figures of only 1,000 to 1,200 projects are inaccurate, noting that the actual number of operating projects within Iraq—excluding the Kurdistan Region—approaches 8,000, while the Region itself includes approximately an additional 1,000 projects.

He further clarified that the production capacity of these projects varies significantly from one area to another, pointing out that some large-scale projects in certain provinces can equal the output of a hundred small projects elsewhere. He cited the desert projects of Karbala as an example of some of the highest-producing operations.

Regarding table eggs, the Chairman confirmed that the import ban is being fully enforced and that no foreign shipments should enter the country, whether through official border crossings or via smuggling. He added that local production fully covers market demand, making imports unjustified at present. He also noted that the poultry sector, by nature, requires a period of time before the effects of import-ban decisions appear as a clear increase in production, due to its dependence on fixed breeding cycles that cannot be adjusted immediately. Nevertheless, he emphasized that producers have already begun increasing production rates in response to local demand.

Current indicators point to a surplus in table egg production over the next two to three months, which will make opening the door to exports an economic necessity to absorb excess quantities and ensure stability in the domestic market.

Source:https://avinews.com/