Customs authority: Yemen’s import bill for wheat crop exceeds $721 million

The customs authority’s data confirmed that Yemen’s import bill for wheat crops exceeds $721 million, raising a number of questions about the role of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation in wheat production.

Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry,  Abdullah Noma’an said in a statement to Al-Masirah TV, Sunday, that the wheat import bill can be gradually reduced by supporting the local product and providing the right ground for investment.

Noma’an stressed that a package of measures must be provided for a genuine national industry and promising agricultural activity, not wishes.

According to data from the Customs Department for Free Zones under the control of the National Salvation Government, more than two million tons of wheat were imported in 2019 at a cost of more than half a billion dollars, while 2021 saw a marked increase in import volumes of more than $700 million.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation attributed the high import bill to the volume of demand for wheat, limited domestic production and higher prices compared to abroad.