Dutch produce on its way to Iraq

Levarht’s first shipment of air freight to Iraq is a fact. “Of course it is wonderful to be able to enter into partnerships again, and to add a new region to our ‘world,’” says Ruud Krul, who is responsible for Overseas Sales. “This first shipment contained a broad range of fresh and high-quality fruits and vegetables of various origins, including soft fruit, tomatoes, bell peppers, herbs, lettuce and potatoes. As a full-service specialist in sourcing, supply chain management and small-scale order picking, this is another welcome confirmation of our partnerships and added value.”

“Because of the unrest in Iraq, there currently is not much local cultivation, and especially not high-quality cultivation. The people with more money to spend, however, do expect that quality, and that is the market we want to enter,” Krul continues. “We do not have the intention to immediately start sending full aeroplanes to Iraq, but we are starting with a weekly shipment, and then we will just see what the future holds.”

The first shipment was meant for the Iraqi city of Ebril, in a slightly safer part of Iraq which has a good economy. “There actually were hardly any obstacles before we could export. It is not easy to get credit insurance on customers in Iraq, but we managed to take care of that with the help of a retail customer in Dubai. But other than that, it was not much hassle, customs-wise. Supplying phytosanitary, KCB and certificates of origin is child’s play for us. The cooperation with the authorities is very close, and this case proves that all the more. But there are some restrictions for certain products, such as mangoes, which are not allowed to enter the country,” Krul concludes.