ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Duhok-based company has begun exporting 3,000 tons of onions to Turkey, marking the first shipment of its kind to the neighboring country, an agricultural official said Sunday.
"This is the first time onions are being exported to Turkey through the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing. Previously, the Kurdistan Region's onions were exported to the Gulf countries," Duhok Agriculture Directorate Deputy Chief Muslih Hassan told Rudaw, adding that this will not affect the price of the produce in the Kurdistan Region.
The export process will continue until the end of the year, he noted.
This comes despite an expected decrease in this year's onion harvest given the crop's affinity to dry, arid conditions, as 2026 saw the highest level of rainfall in years.
According to official statistics from the Duhok Provincial Agriculture Directorate, 289,681 tons of agricultural products from Duhok province were exported abroad as well as to cities in central and southern Iraq last year. Of that amount, 36,236 tons, or 12%, were onions.
According to the official, products such as sumac, Kurdish rice, potatoes, pomegranates, figs, and other items have previously been exported to European countries. Any company that wishes to export agricultural products can submit a request; after inspection, the necessary licenses, certificates, and legal requirements will be provided, he stated.
Turkey and the Kurdistan Region enjoy strong economic relations, with Erbil mostly relying on Ankara for imports.
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