Kirkuk adds 100,000 dunums to corn planting plan for 2026 season

KIRKUK, Iraq — Lawmaker Mohammed Ali al-Nuaymi announced that 100,000 dunums have been added to Kirkuk's yellow corn planting area for the 2026 agricultural season, following official correspondence and meetings with the Agriculture Ministry and relevant bodies. Al-Nuaymi said the expanded allocation would support local production, generate seasonal employment and strengthen food security, noting that cooperation with the ministry would continue on securing inputs such as seeds, fertilizer and fuel. Farmer Amir Ali said Kirkuk ranks among Iraq's leading provinces for strategic crops, followed by Salahaddin, adding that the province's broad farmland and suitable soil structure are well suited to corn cultivation. He said the new area would also benefit feed production, a key input for the poultry and livestock sectors. Farmers in Kirkuk have long called for an expansion of planting areas and have requested improved seeds, subsidized inputs and fair procurement prices from the Agriculture Ministry. No further details on the ministry's implementation timeline were immediately available.