FAS Baghdad forecasts Iraqi poultry production to remain flat in 2014, with production reaching only 160 thousand metric tons (TMT). We estimate 2013 poultry production to be 160 TMT, up 9 TMT or 6 percent compared to 2012 levels. High flock mortality rates combined with high imported feed costs continue to limit the poultry sector’s growth. We estimate total poultry consumption to reach about 770 TMT in 2013, up 17 TMT or 2 percent from 2012 levels. We estimate that domestic per capita consumption of poultry in 2013 will remain at the 24 kg/capita level recorded in 2012. Iraq’s preimport certification program continues to affect consumption, which is a technical barrier to trade that unnecessarily hinders imports of U.S.-origin poultry and a broader range of products.
