Press release about Wheat and Barley Expectations
For Winter 2008

Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology  

   Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology achieves the initial expectations report of wheat and barley crops for the winter season for the year 2008… The issuance of this report aims to provide early data on the expected production quantities of the mentioned crops for purposes of planning, import, export, storage and meet local needs of wheat and barley as are regarded main source of the food basket of Iraqi citizens.

Because of the drought that witness this season for the lack of rainfall in most areas in Iraq and throughout the year and almost especially in areas that depend completely on irrigation by rain, this problem has effected on the quantities of expected production which clearly decreased. In following the initial expectations of production quantities of wheat and barley crops for the year 2008: -

• The expected production of wheat crop estimated by (1597.6) thousands tons for the winter season of 2008, thus recording a decrease from the actual production of the previous season of 2007 by (27.5%) as the quantity of production of last season was (2202.8) thousands tons.

•  The expected average yield of dunum for planted area of this season 2008 from wheat crop by (288) kg, so  yields of dunum has reduced than in the previous season in rate of (17.9%), the average yield of dunum for the season of 2007 amounted (350.8) kg .

• The expected production of barley crop estimated by (483.8) thousands tons for winter season of 2008, dropped by (35.3%) from the actual production of last season in 2007 where it was (748.3) thousand tons.

• The expected average yield of dunum for planted area of this season 2008 from barley crop by (119) per kg, dropped by (30.4%) from the actual average yield of dunum of last season 2007 where it was (171.0) kg.

*  Noting that these estimates are initial estimations that subjected to change after preparing actual final estimates during the next month of September.