Iraq’s Kurdistan region surpasses 280,000 tonnes in annual chicken meat production

IRAQ – The Kurdistan Region of Iraq is recording more than 280,000 tonnes of chicken meat output per year, according to new data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources.

The increase in production is linked to a steady rise in the number of poultry farms operating across the region, with officials noting that the sector is also producing a considerable surplus of eggs.

In remarks published by Kurdistan24 on August 14, Firas Siddiq, Director of Animal Resources at the ministry, gave an outline of the industry’s status and market trends.

He explained that live chicken prices are not fixed and continue to shift depending on supply and demand in the local market.

At the farm level, he said a bird weighing under three kilogrammes is currently sold at about US$1.87 (IQD2,450), while one above three kilogrammes is priced at around US$2.14 (IQD2,800).

The ministry has also tracked growth in infrastructure projects that support the industry, reflecting increasing investment over the past few years.

Figures from the ministry show that the number of meat poultry farms has gone up from 1,510 in 2019 to 1,948 today.

This expansion in projects has directly pushed up annual chicken production volumes, strengthening the region’s ability to meet local demand and potentially supply markets outside its borders.

Egg production outpacing demand

Beyond meat output, egg production is now significantly outstripping daily consumption needs.

Siddiq noted that while the region’s population consumes about 2.67 million eggs each day, farms are currently producing over 20.7 million.

The scale of production has created a sharp surplus, raising questions about how this excess will be managed in the coming years.

With chicken and egg production both rising at rapid rates, the poultry sector in the Kurdistan Region continues to show signs of expansion while also facing challenges linked to balancing supply with domestic consumption.

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