WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, and 11 other lawmakers have called on Iraq to ease import rules they say put U.S. rice growers at a competitive disadvantage.
In a letter to Iraqi Minister of Trade Khair Alla Babaker, the lawmakers asked him to assist in easing “unreasonable quality terms” impacting U.S. rice sales to his country.
As America’s top rice producing state, Arkansas would benefit tremendously from increased trade with Iraq, Ross said.
“Agriculture is a key part to our state’s economy — constituting a $16 billion industry in Arkansas and providing more than 260,000 jobs,” Ross said. “Encouraging cooperative trading practices with countries like Iraq is critical to ensuring that Arkansas’ farm families continue to provide the world with the safest and most reliable sources of food and fiber.”
U.S. rice exports to Iraq fell 77 percent from 2010 to 2011, according to the latest U.S. export data.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
In the letter, the lawmakers — all members of the Congressional Rice Caucus — complained that Iraq had set stringent quality standards for chalk content and broken-kernel levels. And, they said that Iraq required rice to be delivered pre-bagged while most other markets allow bagging at destination.
“These unreasonable quality terms increase risk to shippers, causing them to hedge uncertainty with price premiums, which creates a competitive disadvantage,” they wrote.
Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, also signed the letter that was sent to Babaker last week.