Mosul farmers harvest prized ‘ground apple,’ fueling city’s pickle tradition

NINEVEH — Farmers across Mosul’s Mishirfa, Hawi Al-Kanisa, and surrounding areas have begun harvesting the prized root vegetable yacon, locally known as the “ground apple,” an essential ingredient in the city’s famed pickling industry.

Yacon, which requires a full year to mature, is a staple in Mosul’s traditional pickle recipes, including the popular Shifa Pickles brand.

Ahmed Abdul Karim, a Mishirfa farmer who has cultivated yacon for years, plants the crop in January each year, harvesting it the following February. “I plant yacon in the first month of the year and harvest it in the second month of the following year because it takes a full year to mature,” he said.

This season, however, has brought lower yields compared to previous years due to limited availability of fertilizers and agricultural chemicals. “In the past, we used to harvest three to four tons per day, but now we’re only getting one to one and a half tons daily,” Abdul Karim said.

Despite these challenges, the distinctive quality of Mosul’s yacon continues to fuel strong demand from local markets, Baghdad, and governorates across southern Iraq.

“Mosl’s soil makes the yacon unique,” Abdul Karim explained. “We rely on river water, and sometimes wells, which gives our crop a different quality than those grown in southern Iraq.”

Ahmed Iyad, of Shifa Pickles, described the meticulous pickling process that makes Mosul’s yacon highly sought-after nationwide.

“Late winter and early spring mark the yacon season,” Iyad said. “They are soaked in saltwater for eight days, after which the brine is replaced before the pickling process begins.”

Iyad noted the demand from southern governorates remains robust. “Mosul is known for this type of pickle because the crop is widely grown here, unlike other parts of Iraq,” he said.

Ahmed Al-Shahri, media director for the Nineveh Agriculture Department, confirmed that 15 dunams in Mishirfa, Hawi Al-Kanisa, and the Nineveh Plains have been dedicated to yacon cultivation this year, along with another 15 dunams in Qayyarah.

Overall, Nineveh Governorate contains 4,264,607 dunams of arable land, with irrigated farming covering 630,490 dunams, Al-Shahri added.