BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq’s parliament will question acting Trade Minister Salman al-Jumaili on Aug. 3 over allegations of corruption within the trade ministry, parliament sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

Iraq, a major rice and wheat importer, has previously faced graft accusations connected to its trade ministry, which purchases strategic commodities.

The minister will be questioned over import deals for contaminated rice and licenses for new mills amongst other issues, parliament member Alia Nassif told Reuters.

No-one at the trade ministry was immediately available to comment.

Former trade minister Milas Mohammed Abdul Kareem is in hiding after Iraq issued an arrest warrant for him and his brother during an investigation into bribes, illegal benefits and the misuse of his position.

Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi has promised to tackle corruption in a political system that doles out positions along ethnic and sectarian lines, creating powerful patronage networks.

The trade ministry has been struggling to import grains for its food subsidy program this year after introducing new payment and quality terms that kept traders away from its international tenders.

In May, the cabinet authorized the ministry to make direct purchases of wheat and rice to guarantee food security, a reflection of its struggle to garner enough interest through its tender process.

Iraq created a rationing program for flour, cooking oil, rice, sugar and baby milk formula in 1991 to combat U.N. economic sanctions.

Impoverished Iraqis continue to depend on the system, which has become corrupt and wasteful over the years.

The country is expected to produce 3.65 million tonnes of wheat this year, leaving an import gap of around one million tonnes. Rice production is also expected to only meet a third of domestic demand.