Iraq reaches major agricultural milestone with first Super S potato seeds

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture has achieved a major scientific and strategic breakthrough, marking a first for the nation’s agricultural sector. On Monday, July 20, 2026, the ministry officially announced that its Department of Horticulture successfully produced “Super S” grade potato seeds—the highest internationally recognized classification for potato seed quality. The milestone was confirmed after the locally developed seeds passed exhaustive rigorous testing conducted by the Seed Testing and Certification Department, proving their absolute alignment with top global standards. The strategic project was executed under the auspices of Minister of Agriculture Abdul Rahim Al-Shammari and directly supervised by the Director General of the Horticulture Department, Hatem Karim Al-Ghazi. The production represents the culmination of years of intensive research and practical field applications managed by the technical and scientific cadres of the National Potato Development Program. Specialized operations spanned multiple laboratory and field stations, relying heavily on the Tissue Culture Unit in Nineveh Governorate and the Upper Euphrates Station in Anbar Governorate to ensure the harvest of genetically pure, disease-free, and virus-free national seed stocks. Strategic Impact of the National “Super S” Seed Production Securing Food Sovereignty: Establishing the local production of this top global seed classification acts as a foundational step toward building a sustainable, entirely domestic system for potato cultivation inside Iraq. Reducing Import Reliance: The initiative directly aims to limit the country’s dependence on expensive imported foreign seeds, granting the agricultural sector greater autonomy over an essential crop. Boosting the National Economy: Transitioning to domestic production will dramatically lower overall cultivation costs for local farmers while saving vital hard currency reserves that were previously spent on international seed procurement. Maximizing Crop Yields: The high genetic purity and complete absence of viral strains inherent in “Super S” seeds directly optimize agricultural efficiency, significantly raising the production output per dunam. This pivotal shift in seed infrastructure serves as a major pillar supporting the sustainable development strategies that the Ministry of Agriculture aims to replicate across other primary food crops. The tangible results of this achievement are projected to positively impact local markets over the coming harvest seasons, offering Iraqi consumers and farmers a premium, highly competitive national product that stabilizes the domestic supply chain. The post Iraq reaches major agricultural milestone with first Super S potato seeds appeared first on Iraqi News.