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.
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.