DPD to supply Date Palm Tissue Culture to Iraq

From the Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC):

The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, acting under Cabinet Resolution No. 209 of 2025, has signed a cooperation agreement with the UK-based company Date Palm Developments (D.P.D. Limited). The agreement was concluded by the Ministry's Horticulture Department.

The signing took place at the Iraqi Embassy in London and coincided with the opening of the Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) conference in Basra. Dr. Hadi Hashim Al-Yasiri, Director General of the Horticulture Department, represented the Ministry during the ceremony alongside the official team formed by the Ministry.

Deputy Ambassador Dr. Ahmed Al-Jubouri welcomed the partnership, highlighting its significance for strengthening UK-Iraq cooperation in the agricultural sector. Dr. Al-Yasiri noted that the agreement will enable the import of high-quality and rare date palm tissue culture plants, advancing modern propagation systems and improving the overall quality of Iraqi dates.

The Ministry stated that this collaboration marks an important step in efforts to restore Iraq's global leadership in the date palm sector through the adoption of advanced technologies and international best practices.

Dr Avril Brackpool, MD of DPD said:

"We're delighted to share a major milestone for our team and our work in the region. On 4 December, D.P.D. Limited officially signed an agreement at the Iraqi Embassy in London with the Ministry of Agriculture to suplly date palm tissue-culture plants. This marks the beginning of a five-year, government-backed programme aimed at rehabilitating Iraq's historic date-farming sector - and we're proud to be playing a key role in its transformation."

Christophe Michels, MD of IBBC said:

"IBBC are delighted to be supporting D.P.D. Limited from the UK's life sciences sector, and the transfer of cutting-edge expertise into Iraqi agriculture and production. D.P.D. Limited are an exemplary example of UK know how collaborating with Iraqi business and we look forward to Iraq exporting the delicious Iraqi dates back into the UK."