Kurdistan Region to Establish Major Sugar Production Plant

ARK News.. The General Directorate of Investment in Duhok has announced the launch of a strategic project to build a large-scale sugar production plant—the first of its kind in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region—aimed at achieving self-sufficiency, strengthening food security, and creating hundreds of jobs.

According to Kurdistan24, Dr. Haval Sadiq, Director General of Investment in Duhok, stated that the plant will be constructed in the Qasrok subdistrict belonging to the Sheikhan district, with a total investment of $110 million.

He explained that the project has secured the necessary approvals and is currently in the land allocation phase, paving the way for the issuance of the final investment license.

Dr. Sadiq noted that the factory will rely entirely on locally sourced raw materials by encouraging farmers to cultivate sugar beet and sugarcane, with a commitment to purchase crops directly from them.

He added that area’s fertile plains and favorable climate make it ideal for such agriculture, offering a new and sustainable source of income for thousands of rural families.

The director emphasized the project’s strategic importance, highlighting that it will produce 100% natural sugar as an alternative to imported and industrial sugar, contributing to improved consumer health, enhanced national food security, and reduced reliance on external sources.

The project is expected to generate between 300 and 400 direct jobs, in addition to thousands of indirect opportunities for farmers and workers in the transportation and service sectors.

Dr. Sadiq affirmed that production will not only meet the needs of Duhok and the Kurdistan Region but will also extend to exporting surplus output to other Iraqi provinces and neighboring countries.

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