Analysis of the Reality of The Gap and Self-Sufficiency of Some Selected Agricultural Crops in The Kurdistan Region of Iraq for The Period (2005-2021)

Abstract

    the research aims to show the rates of gap and self-sufficiency for some selected agricultural crops in the kurdistan region of iraq during the period (2005-2021). the crops were selected (tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, trees, onions, potatoes), as the kurdistan region of iraq suffers from a shortage in the production of these crops and reaching a state of sufficiency, so it depends to fill this deficit on imports from abroad in large proportions, especially basic crops due to the increasing demand for it, which led to a widening gap and a low rate of self-sufficiency, despite the fact that the kurdistan region of iraq possesses wide capabilities that qualify to reach a state of self-sufficiency. however, due to the freedom of trade and the openness of the region's markets to imported commodities, especially after 2003, and the weakness of government support for farmers to increase local production, the local markets were flooded with commodities imported from abroad. the research reached a set of conclusions, the most important of which is dumping the local markets in the kurdistan region of iraq with imported agricultural crops at a price lower than the local price, which led to a widening of the gap and a low self-sufficiency rate. one of the most important recommendations in this research is to take into consideration an increase in the production of basic crops on an ongoing basis, while making sure of the need for horizontal and vertical expansion in the cultivation of these crops to reduce the gap rate and increase the rate of self-sufficiency.