What was sent from the Americas to Iraq in the early 1970s that is thought to have killed thousands in the city of Basra?

NatalieW

Wheat. The harvest failed in the late 60s and early 70s and the government decided to import wheat seed from Mexico. To prevent the wheat from going mouldy in transit, it was treated with methylmercury, a fungicide which had recently been banned in a number of places due to possible health risks associated with its use. Farmers were told that this treated wheat was for planting only and NOT to be eaten, but because the harvest had been so poor, people used the wheat as food, leading to a mass poisoning. http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Elements-Toxic/Mercury-Iraq-1.htm Mar 08 06, 7:20 PM

gmackematix

Yay Natalie, although to be precise it was American barley and Mexican wheat seed. An odd feature of the reference site here is that it blames the regime of Saddam Hussein for covering up the event. The poisoning happened largely from 1971 to 1972 and Saddam didn't come to power until 1979. Mar 08 06, 7:48 PM

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