Centuries-old walnut harvest begins in Halabja’s Zalm village

HALABJA — The village of Zalm, nestled in the mountainous Hawraman region of Halabja’s Khurmal district, has commenced its centuries-old walnut harvest. Villagers maintain the tradition without the aid of modern technology, relying on ancestral methods passed down through generations.

The walnut harvest season in Hawraman typically begins in mid-September and runs until the end of the month, but in Zalm, it starts earlier due to favorable conditions. Omar Mohammed, a “Shanyar,” the person responsible for shaking walnuts from the trees, shared his experience of performing the physically demanding task. “I begin each morning with the shahada [profession of Faith] and start shaking the walnut trees, trusting in both my experience and the blessings of the day,” he told 964media.

The harvest process in Zalm remains largely unchanged over hundreds of years. Families, along with relatives and friends, gather to collect, clean, and process the walnuts by hand, without modern machinery. This year’s harvest has been particularly fruitful due to ideal weather conditions and the absence of crop diseases, according to local farmers.

Once harvested, the walnuts are dried and will be ready for sale by early October. “Hawraman walnuts” are renowned for their quality and command high prices in markets across the Kurdistan Region, often surpassing other local varieties.

Walnut trees thrive in temperate climates with cold winters and warm summers, making Hawraman an ideal location for growing them. The region’s moderate rainfall and well-drained soil help prevent root issues, essential for healthy walnut production.

Beyond Hawraman, walnut cultivation occurs across various parts of the Kurdistan Region. However, local production is insufficient to meet market demand, leading to the import of different walnut varieties from other countries to bridge the gap.