Karbala agriculture directorate says no food shortages expected during Arbaeen visit

KARBALA, Iraq — The Karbala Agriculture Directorate has said that no shortages of essential food items are expected during the Arbaeen pilgrimage, with surplus local production of vegetables and poultry sufficient to meet demand from millions of visitors. Bahir Gali, the directorate's media official, told reporters that field commissions have been established to inspect wholesale food, vegetable and meat markets and to verify that agricultural products entering the province are fit for consumption. He said Karbala is a major vegetable production center, particularly for tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants, and that local output exceeds the province's internal needs. Gali added that advanced poultry operations in the province supply more than 200 million eggs per month, along with live, fresh and processed chicken meat. He attributed secure food supplies during the pilgrimage period to efforts by local producers as well as agricultural projects affiliated with the Husseiniya and Abbasinya shrines.