Market Access Iraq February 2026  ·  3 min read

Iraq Lifts Import Ban on Juices, Jams & Pastries: A New Market Window Opens for Egyptian Food

The Iraqi Ministry of Trade has reversed its ban on importing juices, jams, pastries, and cakes. Egypt→Iraq food exports already reached $236M in 2025 (+28%). This regulatory change unlocks new product categories for Egyptian exporters.

Based on reporting from Commodity Markets (Feb 19, 2026), citing the Egyptian Food Export Council and the Iraqi Ministry of Trade (Report No. 45/2025).
$236M
Egypt → Iraq Food Exports (2025)
+28%
Growth YoY
Ban Lifted
Juices, Jams, Pastries, Cakes

The Decision

The Iraqi Ministry of Trade has officially lifted its import ban on juices, jams, pastries, and cakes of all types (Report No. 45/2025). The ban, originally imposed in 2022 to protect Iraqi domestic producers, has now been reversed for all exporting countries—reopening these product categories to international suppliers.

The Egyptian Food Export Council confirmed the decision, noting that the Egyptian Commercial Office in Baghdad had been actively monitoring Iraqi trade regulations that affect Egyptian export access. The Council highlighted that Egyptian food products are well positioned to compete on both quality and price in the Iraqi market.

Product Categories Now Open

🧃
Fruit Juices & Nectars
✓ Import Permitted
🍓
Jams & Spreads
✓ Import Permitted
🧁
Pastries & Cakes
✓ Import Permitted

The Egypt–Iraq Trade Context

Iraq is already one of Egypt's top 10 food export destinations, with bilateral food trade reaching $236 million in 2025—a 28% increase over 2024. The two countries maintain strong commercial ties, and the Iraqi government has been pursuing plans for a Baghdad–Cairo highway via Amman to further facilitate trade.

The lifting of this ban opens categories that were previously blocked—meaning Egyptian juice and jam producers can now enter the Iraqi market for the first time since 2022. For processors like Saporina, this represents an immediate new market opportunity for fruit nectars and jams that are already produced and export-ready.

🇮🇶 Key Takeaway for Iraqi Distributors & Importers

Egyptian juices, nectars, and jams are now eligible for import into Iraq following the Ministry of Trade's ban reversal. Egyptian products offer competitive pricing, proven quality, and established logistics to Iraqi ports. Saporina's fruit nectars and jams are ready for immediate shipment to the Iraqi market.

Saporina's Now-Eligible Products

Saporina produces fruit nectars and jams that fall directly within the newly reopened categories. All products are available with Arabic labelling, private label options, and Iraqi market-compliant documentation.

Strawberry Nectar Mango Nectar Guava Nectar Orange Nectar Peach Nectar Apricot Nectar Pomegranate Nectar Strawberry Jam Mango Jam Peach Jam Apricot Jam Fig Jam Hibiscus Jam

📩 Enter the Iraqi Market with Saporina

Contact Saporina for pricing, samples, and delivery scheduling for fruit nectars and jams to Iraq. Tetra Pak, glass bottles, and glass jar formats available. Arabic labelling and private label ready.