Maritime traffic remains normal at Iraqi ports

[Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP]

A recent announcement by the General Company for Ports in Iraq stated that the pace of vessel traffic at Iraqi ports has remained steady during the past month.

Recent arrivals, mainly at the southern ports in Basra, have included specialty shipments of foodstuffs for Iraqi citizens during the holy month of Ramadan. "The shipments, which came from world suppliers, were imported by the Ministry of Trade for distribution to citizens under the ration card system," company deputy director Mazen Khuraibet said. "This shipment will ensure stocks of food basket items in Iraq for three months."

In the coming weeks, nine other shipments are expected to arrive in Basra. Four of those ships are carrying additional imported foodstuffs per order of the Ministry of Trade. "We believe it is necessary to increase the imports of basic foodstuffs to meet the demands for them at these sensitive times, and to prevent the rise of any local shortages in these items, or to provide exploiters with an opportunity to manipulate prices," stated economist Bassem Jameel Antoine.

Food ration distribution is being monitored Ministry of Trade’s Office of the Inspector General as well as the Economic Security Committee.



For the original July 8, 2014 piece from Mawtani.com, a service of Al-Shorfa referenced in this summary, click here.