The Cabinet of Iraq has granted the Minister of Agriculture the responsibility and authority to regulate importation of chicken, irrespective of source, in relation to domestic production and demand. Iraq has evidently adopted a policy of protecting local production despite the fact that the nation is reliant on imports for at least 60 percent of requirements.
According to an advisory by USAPEEC on November 19th, a ban on imports may be imminent. Citing USDA data, Iraq was ranked 14th among importing nations over the 
first nine months of 2020 receiving 48,049 metric tons of presumably leg quarters and MDM to the value of $31.9 million with a low unit price of $664 per metric ton.
In retrospect, a nation that relies on imports for 60 percent of production is in no position to propose or impose restrictions, especially if domestic production is inefficient and incapable of expansion over the intermediate term. The net result of this injudicious decision will be to deprive consumers of inexpensive protein and to generate superprofits for domestic producers. Given the knowledge of how officialdom operates in Middle Eastern nations, it would appear that “flexibility” will create opportunities for corruption and lends credence to the impression that this was the basic purpose of the illogical action by the Government of Iraq.