Diyala says wheat deliveries top 152,000 tonnes this season

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Diyala's provincial council has announced the completion of the 2026 wheat delivery season, with more than 152,000 tonnes received at designated collection centers, including the Baqubah silos on the Baghdad side of the province. Council head Omar al-Kureyvi said the six-week campaign concluded after deliveries exceeded the 152,000-tonne mark. The season began under reduced conditions, with planting plans cut by more than 50 percent because of drought and declining water resources, al-Kureyvi said. Despite the smaller cultivated area, he added that yields remained satisfactory thanks to rainfall during the growing period. Diyala is one of Iraq's main strategic grain-producing governorates and runs large-scale wheat collection campaigns each year. Wheat is a staple of the country's food security system and is distributed through Iraq's public food ration program. Provincial officials said climate change, water scarcity and reduced agricultural planning have caused fluctuations in output in recent years, a trend reflected in delivery volumes to state silos. No further details on next season's planting plans were immediately available.