The al-Abbas's (p) Holy Shrine prepares 1.5 million square meters to be planted in the coming winter season.

As part of its plans to reach agricultural self-sufficiency, consolidate the culture of the national product, and support the Iraqi economy, the cadres of the al-Abbas's (p) Holy Shrine completed the preparation of more than 1,400 dunums (1,4 million m2) of agricultural land for the coming winter season.

The head of the Department of Agricultural affairs and animal livestock in the al-Kafeel Company for Public Investments of the holy shrine; Eng. Ali Maz'al Layedh, stated: "This year, we exerted double efforts to equip most of our agricultural lands to be planted with different types of plantings within a pre-set plan."

He added: "The largest areas will be planted with strategic crops (wheat and barley) with good varieties, to be marketed later to the General Company for grain trading, the branch of Karbala."

In addition, Engineer Ali Maz'al explained: “There are other areas that will be planted with forage crops (alfalfa, and corn forage) to be used in supplying livestock projects with high efficiency natural fodder, which helps to increase the recovery of livestock significantly.”

He added: "The season will see an increase in our production of the necessary vegetable crops, due to the processing of all multi-space greenhouses, and the preparation of agricultural terraces to be planted with crops (cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, chili, and onions) to provide the local market with large quantities of vegetables of environment- and human-friendly crops.