Iraq Opens First Factory Producing Infant Formula

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani launched the construction of the Mohannad Ali Abdullah Infant Formula Factory today in Baghdad. The new facility will produce infant formula for all age stages, as well as fortified nutritional products, with an annual production capacity of nine million packs.

The project is a private sector investment, led by the Qatari construction company Magnum, and will manufacture formula for the Turkish company Kulalac, producer of the Bebevit brand.

The Prime Minister highlighted the project’s significance in addressing food security and meeting the nutritional needs of children under the age of two, who make up 5–6% of Iraq’s population. He emphasised that the factory could expand output to cover local demand and reduce the need for imported formula.

The launch is part of the government’s broader strategy to support the industrial sector, strengthen the national economy, and reduce dependence on oil revenues. During the government’s tenure, small and medium-sized enterprises have grown from 2,000 in 2021 to 39,000 projects, while 53 industrial projects now export products abroad.

This initiative reflects Iraq’s first steps towards producing infant formula domestically and developing the country’s food production industry in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, nutrition, and fortified products.