Diyala official warns electricity tariff hike threatens farming in Azim

DIYALA, Iraq — The director of Azim district in Diyala province, Nabil al-Obeidi, said electricity collection fees for agricultural wells and pumps have roughly doubled, rising from 100,000–150,000 to 250,000–300,000 Iraqi dinars per month. Al-Obeidi noted that the area has no summer farming season, leaving most wells largely idle, yet the higher fees continue to be charged on a monthly basis. The increase also affects cafés and small businesses, with one café's monthly bill climbing from 50,000 dinars to more than 300,000 dinars, he said. The district director said farmers are facing a combination of ongoing water shortages, high production costs and the absence of state support, conditions that he warned raise the risk of land being abandoned and agricultural activity coming to a halt. Al-Obeidi called on the relevant authorities and the Ministry of Electricity to review the collection mechanism and adopt a fair tariff that reflects the nature of agricultural work and the periods in which it actually operates.