The violence-hit Babylon Province in Iraq is transforming now into one of the country's largest poultry producing areas, due to the efforts of the US Grains Council and the Iraq Poultry Fund (IPF).

The two organisations are working to help rebuild the country's poultry industry following its collapse after the start of the first Gulf War.

'The problem is supplying that region with feed grains to sustain the remarkable comeback within the poultry sector,' said Ken Hobbie, USGC president and chief, and IPF chairman of the board of trustees.

'The feed grains still have to come from the northern regions of Iraq, which further emphasises the need to establish more trade companies to service the substantial growth in demand.'

The Council works cooperatively with the IPF board of trustees to rebuild Iraq's poultry industry and create export opportunities for US feed grains.
To date, two Iraqi feed trade companies have been established to generate additional demand for feed grains by bringing more poultry producers into a unified group with greater buying power.

Now Babylon province is one of Iraq's largest poultry producing areas, according to USGC project director for Iraq Dr Abdellah Ait Boulahsen. 'The region now produces about 1,500 metric tons of poultry meat per month,' Boulahsen said. 'It is also the main supplier to Baghdad and the country's southern regional markets.'

Earlier this month, the Council joined with Iraqi Poultry Producers Association, which was organised by the Council in 2004, to host a seminar focused on integrated poultry projects. The meeting attracted 108 participants, including producers from four of Iraq's other provinces.

'As a result of the Iraq Poultry Fund, which has made it possible for the Iraqi private sector to import US corn as feed via a loan guarantee program, the industry has made a great turnaround to date,' said Boulahsen.