Iraq has been experiencing one of the worst droughts in the past 10 years, with total wheat and barley production in 2008/09 expected to decline 51 percent compared to last year. Drought conditions have predominated the entire winter growing season, and have severely impacted non-irrigated grain production in its northern regions. Acute dryness has also affected winter grain area and yield potential in several of the country’s primarily irrigated governorates (Iraqi provinces).

Syria, like its neighbor Iraq, has been experiencing a serious drought during the past 8 months. Drought stress in 2008/09, which was exacerbated by abnormally hot spring temperatures, is expected to cause significant losses to the nation’s winter grain crops. Wheat production is expected to decline 38 percent compared to last year, to the lowest level in the past seventeen years.