Minister Lays Foundation Stone for Modern Grain Silo in Kirkuk

Iraq's Minister of Trade, Dr Atheer Dawood Al-Ghurairi, laid the foundation stone on Thursday for a new modern grain silo in Kirkuk province, with a storage capacity of 60,000 tonnes. The project forms part of the Ministry's infrastructure development strategy to support the agricultural sector and increase national storage capacity.

Speaking at the ceremony, Al-Ghurairi said the initiative supports the Government's service-oriented agenda and the Ministry's efforts to accommodate growing grain production, especially wheat, from across Iraq. He described the project as a qualitative step towards adopting global best practices in grain storage, providing a safe and efficient environment for farmers to market their crops.

The Minister confirmed that this silo is one of five being developed by the General Company for Grain Trade, an entity under the Ministry of Trade, in cooperation with international firms including Switzerland's Bühler and Egypt's Samco.

He noted that this is the first purpose-built silo to be constructed in Iraq since the early 1980s, reflecting the government's commitment to reconstruction and agricultural infrastructure development. The Ministry plans to implement similar strategic projects nationwide as part of its vision for 2025 as a year of construction and productivity.

Hayder Al-Gar'awi, Director General of the General Company for Grain Trade, said the project is part of an integrated plan to support farmers by streamlining grain marketing and storage, thereby strengthening national food security.