Iraqi markets are abounded with faulty products and invalid foodstuffs

By Sobhi Haddad, IOL Baghdad Correspondent

BAGHDAD, November 6 (IslamOnline.net) – Iraqi interim Trade Minister Ali Allawy denied concluding any trade agreements with Israel, ruling out also any intention to import products from Israel.

In statements to the Iraqi TV information network, he dismissed as "rumors" reports about trade accords with Israel.

The minister admitted that some Israeli commodities may have found their way into Iraqi market, citing the absence of restrictions on imports.

Meanwhile, Allawy said a special tribunal would be set up – in collaboration with the U.S.-sanctioned interim Governing Council – to prosecute merchants who deal in invalid commodities.

"They have contributed to sabotaging the country’s economy through these thefts," he charged, asserting that people tied to the ousted regime as well as foreign traders were involved.

When evidence is complete, the minister said, names of such merchants will be made public so that they would be held accountable.

The minister asserted that the trial process would be marked with fairness, ruling out intention to target traders only for having dealt with the toppled regime.

Faulty Products

Iraqi markets have been flooded by different kinds of invalid and faulty products that even lack a tag identifying the country of origin.

"Exploiting the absence of controls on the borders, Jordanian merchants brought in foodstuffs and other products worth of 10 million dollars after the fall of the capital Baghdad on April 9," Iraqi merchants charged.

In statements to IslamOnline.net, they further accused the Jordanians of packaging invalid foodstuffs imported from a country neighboring Jordan – Israel - in new packages with new expiry dates.

A Jordanian merchant categorically declined to comment on the accusations leveled by Iraqi merchants.

"The state of anarchy and lawlessness encouraged some Arab and foreign importers and exporters to bring in different foodstuffs like fresh meat packages in attractive cans but invalid for human consumption," Karim Razaq, owner of an exporting and importing company, told IOL.