Iraq Declares Death Penalty on Grain Sales

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The National Assembly has declared a government monopoly on sales of wheat, barley, rice, corn and other cereals and mandated the death penalty for anyone violating the law, the state press said today.

The 250-member Parliament passed the law late Monday, saying it is necessary due to shortages caused by the U.N. embargo. The Assembly said the law is needed to deter greed.

The law bans sales by both private sector middlemen and farmers. The government will have a monopoly on both sales and storage.

Farmers will be allowed to keep 1,000 pounds of wheat for their personal use and 400 pounds of rice, but the rest must be turned over to the government within two weeks of harvest.

During the debate, some assembly members suggested that the penalty be life in prison, but the majority voted for the death penalty, the report said.

Before the invasion, Iraq imported 70% of its food. Iraq has two rivers and abundant fertile land, but the government gave agricultural development a much lower priority than industry.