Iraq's Trade Ministry is in need of more money from the budget to build three months' supply in its strategic wheat and rice stockpiles in the face of the country's growing coronavirus problems, it said late on Saturday, Reuters reported.
Months of political deadlock have already delayed budget approvals for Iraq, a major Middle East grain importer.
"It is necessary to have enough financial allocations to provide a strategic stockpile for three months, especially given the law governing the ministry stresses its role in providing that stockpile in case of emergencies," the ministry statement said.
"The lack of approval of a budget for the current year has affected the ministry's plans to increase each person's portion of subsidised goods."