Iraq Imports 44,000 Tons of Rice via Jordan's Aqaba Port

The Iraqi Ministry of Trade announced that a shipment of 44,000 tons of rice from the United States has arrived at the Port of Aqaba in Jordan. The vessel, named EQUINOX DREAM, successfully reached the port despite ongoing challenges in maritime shipping routes. Lama Hashim al-Musawi, director of the General Company for Foodstuff Trading, stated that the shipment supports the 2026 marketing plan to meet the requirements of the national food basket and social welfare programs. She added that the ministry is working to ensure the timely distribution of food supplies to all Iraqi provinces to maintain market stability. Mahmoud Khalifat, director general of the Aqaba Company for Ports Operation and Management, noted that Iraq has increasingly utilized the port over the last two months due to disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz. In addition to the rice shipment, the port has facilitated the transit of 100,000 tons of vegetable oil to Iraq, with two more vessels carrying 65,000 tons of cargo currently awaiting unloading.