First for Najaf as bananas grown in local greenhouses

NAJAF — Najaf’s Al-Mishkhab district, historically known for its rice production, is now home to various crops with the Najaf Agricultural Research Center successfully adapting banana trees, strawberries, and various palm species for cultivation in the governorate. This marks the first time bananas have been grown in Najaf, following a similar experiment in Basra, a region with a hot and humid climate.

According to Abdul Kadhim Hadi, head of the research center, the banana variety Grand Nain has proven suitable for Iraq’s environmental conditions. Using tissue culture techniques, the center can propagate the plants efficiently.

Tissue culture techniques involve growing plants from cells or tissues in a sterile, controlled environment to ensure rapid and disease-free propagation.

He explained that this variety matures and bears fruit within one year, significantly faster than local varieties, which can take up to three years.

The Grand Nain bananas were cultivated in controlled environments, such as plastic greenhouses, which provide optimal conditions for growth.

“The growth period of this banana variety from planting to fruiting is less than one year. It is an excellent variety well-suited to Iraq’s conditions, with the potential for tissue propagation and large-scale production to meet farmers’ needs, provided that suitable conditions, such as plastic greenhouses, are available,” he added.

Hadi emphasized the economic potential of this project, noting that the controlled cultivation process significantly reduces the time and cost compared to traditional methods. “If produced in labs, the bananas are likely to be affordable,” he said.