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First sale of rice to Iraq as part of 2022-2023 MOU

Iraq has made its first purchase of U.S. rice as part of the 2022-2023 Memorandum of Understanding.

The purchase, by Al Awees, was for 44,000 tons.  The MOU calls for Iraq to purchase 200,000 tons of U.S. rice. 

There were some delays in approving the funding mechanism that enabled the country to purchase the U.S. rice, those have since been resolved.

Mark Holt, with USA Rice chairs the Europe, Middle East, Africa Trade Policy and Promotion Subcommittees. He says exports have been extremely low in 2022 and this sale provided much needed product movement for the U.S. rice industry. 

U.S. rice exports amount to less than one percent of Iraq’s overall rice imports, but remain vital for the US with purchases totaling $60 million in value this year.