Millions of carp fingerlings will soon be distributed to fish farms across central and southern Iraq as part of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Inma agribusiness program, a joint effort of the U.S. military, the State Department and Iraqi farmers.
Inma will purchase $3 million in fingerlings from the Euphrates Fish Farm hatchery. The fingerlings could generate 12 million tons of carp worth approximately $90 million at the country's retail markets.
Central Iraq is home to 70 percent of the country's fish farms, but only a fraction were operating in 2007. USAID hopes supporting local fish farms will boost Iraq's economy and provide jobs. In addition, the U.S. military has donated 50 tons of fish feed to the farms.
