Najaf farmers protest at governor's office over rice prices, delayed payments

NAJAF, Iraq — Hundreds of farmers in Najaf began a sit-in outside the provincial council building on Wednesday to demand higher state purchase prices for their rice harvest and the disbursement of long-overdue payments. Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Muayin al-Fatlawi said the current government purchase price of 700,000 Iraqi dinars per ton fails to cover production costs and should be raised to 850,000 dinars per ton. Farmers are also demanding immediate payment of compensation and dues dating back to 2023, as well as outstanding amounts from last year's harvest that remain unpaid. Officials have attributed the payment delays to conditions linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Fatlawi said this year's payments have not yet been fully secured and that authorities are planning to disburse them in installments, a proposal the farmers have rejected. The protesters called on the federal government to resolve the crisis and to postpone farmers' loans and debts for two years. Fatlawi said demonstrations and sit-ins have been held in parts of Najaf and Baghdad, and that the protests will continue until the demands are met. Authorities have set a purchase price of 500,000 dinars per ton for rice grown outside the official planting plan and 700,000 dinars per ton for rice cultivated under the planned cultivation program.