Iraq's largest plastprintpack event, Iraq plastprintpack, is building on the huge success of its highly successful debut in Baghdad in April 2019. And Iraq’s leading agrofood event, Agro Pack Iraq Erbil, expands on its extremely successful three previous editions, most recently from 20 to 23 November 2019, when 151 exhibitors discussed business with 7,245 trade visitors from across Iraq. 

To create synergies for exhibitors and trade visitors alike, the 2nd Iraq plastprintpack will be held simultaneously with the 4th Agro Pack at the Erbil International Fairground from 23 to 26 November 2021. 

The event is all set to become a major international event as already by the end of July 2021, exhibitors from Afghanistan, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States have registered and there are still many more to come.

• Afghanistan Pavilion “Afghan…Naturally” - This is the first year that Afghan businesses will be exhibiting in Iraq, although trade between the two countries has been buoyant for several years. The Afghan businesses planning to participate already have connections with Iraq that they are looking to expand upon.
• Iran Pavilion: More than thirty Iranian companies will showcase their products and solutions in the official Iranian pavilion, supported by the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran.
• Holland Pavilion: The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tehran has booked the official Holland Pavilion where Dutch exhibitors will present their products.
• Turkish Pavilion: A large Turkish pavilion with around sixty exhibitors is being organised and supported by the Turkish Ministry of Trade.

Many market leaders from Kurdistan and the entire Iraq will of course also be represented with major stands, and individual exhibitors are expected from around the globe.

plastprintpack Iraq 2019 exhibitors included global leaders such as EREMA and Wittmann Battenfeld from Austria, Cantoni from Italy, Shanghai Jwell and Shanghai Jinhu Extrusion from China, IPS Integrated Packaging Systems from the UAE, Remak Makina from Turkey and many leading Iranian companies such as Almas Film, Arya Pu Pack Machine, Apaden Plast, Isfahan Moghadam, Pamian Print, Pasargad Polymer, Poolad Injection Molding Machines, SLZ, Tak Packing, Tavan Machine Pouya and Zarrin Nylon Parsian.

For Iraq plastprintpack 2021, the organisers expect the event to grow at market growth rate, and this is truly remarkable as the following facts show.

• Since all plastics raw materials are imported, mainly from the Middle East, Asia and Europe, the Iraqi market has great potential for commodity exporters. Between 2007 and 2017, the import of plastic raw materials grew by 37% annually, from 9 kt to 210 kt, a plus of one thousand percent! The country's plastic consumption shows an annual growth of 29% over the same period. It has grown 16-fold from 15 kt in 2009 to 249 kt in 2018 and is estimated at 404 kt in 2022. (EUROMAP)
• Between 2015 and 2019, Iraq’s imports of plastics technology increased with an annual growth rate of 16.7%, from € 21 million to € 39 million. (VDMA) This makes Iraq the third largest Arab importing country of such technology in the Middle East. Continuous growth is expected in the coming years.
• Iraq is also an important buyer of printing & paper converting technology in the Arab Middle East. From 2017 to 2019, Iraq’s printing & paper technology imports increased by 30%, from € 5 to € 11 million. (VDMA)
• Between 2015 and 2019, Iraq’s imports of packaging technology increased with an annual growth rate of 26%, from € 31 million to € 78 million. (VDMA) This makes Iraq the third largest Arab importing country of such technology in the Middle East. 

With exports of hydrocarbons worth US$ 34.3 billion and imports worth US$ 30.7 billion, Iraq is expected to achieve a decent trade surplus of US$ 3.7 billion in 2021. The GDP is expected to grow by 1.1% in 2021 and 4.4% in 2022. (GTAI, May 2021) 

Another important fact: With 41 million inhabitants, Iraq is one of the three most populous countries in the Arab world, after Egypt and on a par with Algeria. Its population is expected to grow to 71 million by 2050. With 58% of the population younger than 25, the country has an enormously young and aspiring population.