Iraq is a sizable market for imported edible oils, particularly for sunflower oil, palm oil and other vegetable fats used by food processors, traders and cooking-oil businesses. Edible oil buyers in Iraq import these oils in substantial quantities.
The import data shows an interesting pattern. Iraq does not rely on one type of vegetable oil alone. In 2024, imports of crude sunflower-seed and safflower oil under HS 151211 reached around $277.35 million and 256.78 million kg, according to WITS. Crude palm oil under HS 151110 added another $45.34 million and 40.87 million kg.
That gives Indian suppliers more than one route into the market. Sunflower oil is clearly a large segment, while palm oil, coconut oil and processed vegetable fats also have established import activity.
Sunflower oil stands out in Iraq's import figures, particularly in crude form.
| HS Code | Product | Iraq Imports, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 151211 | Crude sunflower/safflower oil | $277.35 million |
| 1511 | Palm oil and fractions | $49.15 million |
| 151110 | Crude palm oil | $45.34 million |
| 151311 | Crude coconut oil | $2.91 million |
| 151620 | Vegetable fats and oils, hydrogenated/interesterified etc. | $5.46 million |
| 151219 | Sunflower/safflower oil, excluding crude | $0.18 million |
The figures are from WITS for 2024. Iraq's crude sunflower-oil imports came mainly from Argentina and Ukraine, while palm oil was dominated by Indonesia and Malaysia.
The sourcing pattern is worth noticing for Indian exporters. India is already supplying Iraq in some oil categories. In 2024, Iraq imported about $327,830 of crude coconut oil from India, while India supplied approximately $614,700 of hydrogenated/interesterified vegetable fats and oils under HS 151620.
Iraq's food market depends substantially on imported agricultural and processed food products, and edible oils form part of that broader import requirement.
The market also has a strong connection with neighbouring and regional suppliers. Turkey, Gulf countries and other nearby trading hubs can supply finished products and packaged food ingredients, while bulk oils can arrive from major producing countries.
For industrial buyers, importing crude or semi-processed oil can make sense when the product is going into local refining, blending or further processing. Other buyers may simply be looking for refined cooking oil for distribution.
That difference matters when approaching edible oil buyers in Iraq . A refinery will have a very different requirement from a foodstuff trader buying finished cooking oil.
Anyone researching top edible oil importers in Iraq should start with the HS code rather than searching for edible oil as one broad category.
| HS Code | Product Category | Relevance to Iraq |
|---|---|---|
| 1507 | Soybean oil and fractions | Smaller recorded import segment |
| 1508 | Groundnut/peanut oil | Specialty segment |
| 1509 | Olive oil | Consumer and premium market |
| 1511 | Palm oil and fractions | Established import category |
| 1512 | Sunflower, safflower and cottonseed oil | Major category, especially crude sunflower oil |
| 1513 | Coconut, palm-kernel and babassu oils | Smaller but established segment |
| 1514 | Rapeseed, colza and mustard oil | Additional vegetable-oil category |
| 1515 | Other fixed vegetable oils | Specialty oils |
| 1516 | Hydrogenated/interesterified fats and oils | Food manufacturing |
| 1517 | Margarine and edible mixtures | Processed edible-fat products |
The difference between crude and refined products is particularly important in Iraq. WITS recorded $277.35 million of crude sunflower/safflower oil imports in 2024 , compared with only about $177,100 of sunflower/safflower oil excluding crude under HS 151219.
The Iraqi buyer market includes general trading companies, food-material businesses and companies importing specific cooking oils. Recent shipment data provides a useful starting point.Here is a list of top edible oil importers in Iraq.
AL MAHMOOD COMPANY CO: One of the strongest names in recent Iraqi sunflower-oil shipment data, with 300 sunflower-oil import shipments in the available records. The company's records also include bulk crude sunflower oil.
CIHAN GENERAL TRADING COMPANY: Recorded 90 sunflower-oil shipments in the available data and is one of the more active buyers of sunflower and cooking oil in Iraq. Another product-specific dataset records 31 shipments during a 12-month comparison period.
NAWRAS COMPANY: Recorded 47 sunflower-oil shipments , giving it an 8% share in the broader sunflower-oil buyer data. It is therefore a relevant company to research for suppliers targeting the Iraqi sunflower-oil market.
FOOD WAY FACTORY: Appears among the more active Iraqi buyers of sunflower and cooking oil, with 46 shipments in the latest product-specific data. The company is particularly relevant when looking at cooking-oil requirements rather than only crude bulk oil.
AL MUMTAZ COMPANY FOR GENERAL TRADE AND FOOD MATERIAL LIMITED: Appears in refined palm-oil and palm-olein shipment records. It accounted for 25% of the recorded refined palm-oil shipments in the available dataset and 26% of the RBD palm-olein shipments in another dataset.
AL NAKHEEL BEACH FOR GENERAL: Also appears in Iraq's palm-oil trade. The company accounted for 17% of recorded refined palm-oil shipments and 20% of the RBD palm-olein shipments in the available datasets.
| HS Code | Product Category | Relevance to Iraq |
|---|---|---|
| 1507 | Soybean oil and fractions | Smaller recorded import segment |
| 1508 | Groundnut/peanut oil | Specialty segment |
| 1509 | Olive oil | Consumer and premium market |
| 1511 | Palm oil and fractions | Established import category |
| 1512 | Sunflower, safflower and cottonseed oil | Major category, especially crude sunflower oil |
| 1513 | Coconut, palm-kernel and babassu oils | Smaller but established segment |
| 1514 | Rapeseed, colza and mustard oil | Additional vegetable-oil category |
| 1515 | Other fixed vegetable oils | Specialty oils |
| 1516 | Hydrogenated/interesterified fats and oils | Food manufacturing |
| 1517 | Margarine and edible mixtures | Processed edible-fat products |
These are shipment-based buyer names, so exporters should confirm the current requirement before quoting. A company that has imported oil in the past may not be buying the same grade or volume today.
For bulk edible oil, the port is closely linked to the buyer's storage facilities, refinery and inland transport network.
Umm Qasr Port: Umm Qasr is Iraq's main port and handles most of the country's container and non-container cargo traffic. It is therefore the primary gateway to consider for imported edible oils arriving by sea.
Basra Gateway Terminal: Located at North Port, Umm Qasr, Basra Gateway Terminal handles container and general cargo and provides the infrastructure used by importers bringing goods into southern Iraq.
Al Faw Grand Port: Al Faw is being developed as a major future logistics hub on the Arabian Gulf, with a container terminal planned for substantial capacity. For exporters, it is more of a longer-term logistics development than the established gateway that Umm Qasr is today.
Before fixing the port, an exporter should check:
A lower ocean-freight quotation does not necessarily mean a lower delivered cost once the cargo starts moving inland.
Iraq has specific statutory, customs and food-safety controls for imported products. The Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC) , under the Ministry of Planning, is responsible for Iraqi standards and quality control and examines imported goods for compliance. Its food-industry department also checks food products and monitors conformity at border points.
1. Check the Iraqi standard for the oil. Iraqi standards can be mandatory, and COSQC is responsible for preparing and maintaining standards for products. The exact requirement should be checked against the oil being imported.
2. Check import and customs requirements before shipment. The Iraqi importer should confirm the applicable import procedure, customs classification, duties and required clearance documents for the specific HS code.
3. Be prepared for conformity and inspection procedures. COSQC examines imported goods and operates conformity-assessment and quality-control procedures. Iraq has also been working on a national platform for registering suppliers and imported goods.
4. Meet food-safety requirements. Iraq's food regulations place responsibility for food control with the competent health authorities, while Iraqi food specifications form the basis for food control. Where an Iraqi specification does not exist, Arabic or international standards may be used according to the applicable rules.
5. Check labelling and marking. Country of origin needs to be clearly marked on imported products, while food packaging is subject to Iraqi marking and date requirements. The exact label requirements should be confirmed for the product and packaging format.
6. Keep product testing documents ready. A certificate of analysis should cover the agreed parameters, which may include acidity/free fatty acids, moisture, impurities, peroxide value, contaminants and shelf life.
7. Agree whether the buyer wants crude or refined oil. This is particularly important in Iraq because the import data shows a much larger market for crude sunflower and crude palm oil than for some corresponding refined lines.
8. Calculate the complete landed cost. FOB price + freight + insurance + applicable duty/taxes + port charges + customs clearance + inland freight + storage or handling.
Finding edible oil importers in Iraq is one part of the process. The more important question is whether the buyer needs the particular oil, quantity and specification that you can supply.
Exporters can use Tradologie to:
Iraq's import data points clearly towards sunflower oil and palm oil , with crude sunflower oil standing out by a wide margin. For Indian suppliers, the market is therefore worth approaching with a specific product and buyer profile rather than a broad edible-oil catalogue.
In 2024, Iraq imported approximately $277.35 million of crude sunflower/safflower oil, $49.15 million of palm oil and fractions, and $5.46 million of hydrogenated/interesterified vegetable fats and oils.
Crude sunflower/safflower oil is the largest major category, with imports of approximately 256.78 million kg worth $277.35 million in 2024.
Iraq relies substantially on imported agricultural and processed food products. Bulk crude and semi-processed oils can be imported for local refining, blending and further processing, while other buyers source refined cooking oils for distribution.
Important categories include HS 1507 for soybean oil, 1511 for palm oil, 1512 for sunflower/safflower/cottonseed oil, 1513 for coconut oil, 1514 for rapeseed/colza/mustard oil, 1515 for other fixed vegetable oils and 1516 for hydrogenated/interesterified fats and oils.
The blog highlights AL MAHMOOD COMPANY CO, CIHAN GENERAL TRADING COMPANY, NAWRAS COMPANY, FOOD WAY FACTORY, AL MUMTAZ COMPANY FOR GENERAL TRADE AND FOOD MATERIAL LIMITED and AL NAKHEEL BEACH FOR GENERAL.
AL MAHMOOD COMPANY CO, CIHAN GENERAL TRADING COMPANY, NAWRAS COMPANY and FOOD WAY FACTORY appear in recent sunflower/cooking-oil shipment data. Exporters should confirm their current product and quantity requirements before approaching them.
Umm Qasr Port is Iraq's main port and the primary gateway to consider for edible oils arriving by sea. Basra Gateway Terminal is another relevant facility, while Al Faw is being developed as a future logistics hub.
Depending on the product, buyers may require specifications covering acidity/free fatty acids, moisture, impurities, peroxide value, contaminants and shelf life.
The Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC) is responsible for Iraqi standards and quality control and examines imported goods for compliance.
Exporters should confirm the HS classification, customs requirements, applicable Iraqi standards, conformity procedures, food-safety requirements, labelling, testing documents, crude/refined specification and complete landed cost before shipment.
