Highlights Government passes deficit budget, including provisions for rice, wheat Rice, wheat tenders not held since protests began in October 2019 US rice industry had expected private MoU negotiations New York — The Iraqi government passed a deficit budget on Nov. 12, creating the possibility that the Ministry of Trade (MoT) will announce international rice and wheat tenders. According to a source close to the tenders, the Dinar 26 trillion ($22 billion) budget includes provisions for international rice and wheat tenders following an unusually large gap since its previous tenders. An Iraqi source who is also close to the tenders hinted during the week ending Nov. 13 that the MoT was moving toward announcing at least a rice tender. The MoT last purchased rice via an international tender in September 2019, when it bought 120,000 […]