Maysan farmers begin palm pollination as date season gets underway
MAYSAN — Farmers in Maysan have begun palm tree pollination for the 2025 date season, hoping for a strong harvest as the key agricultural period gets underway. The work typically begins in March and can extend into May, with many relying on high-quality male palms, especially the Ghanami variety, to ensure better yields.
“The pollination starts in the third month, but we begin cutting the male palm as early as February,” said Mustafa Mohammed, a farmer in Qalat Saleh. “The best type for pollination is the Ghanami palm. In our orchards, we do the pollination ourselves.”
The process involves collecting pollen from male trees and storing it in refrigerators if not used immediately. “We store it in the fridge if we can’t pollinate right away,” said orchard owner Ali Qasim. “During pollination, we use three to four pollen bunches for each female palm.”
Farmers typically follow up the pollination with pest control measures and sulfur application to improve fruit quality. “In the sixth month, we begin the ‘Dalawa’ stage and apply sulfur,” Mohammed said, referring to the process of lowering date clusters to improve sun and air exposure for ripening.
Pollination is done manually, often by workers who climb the trees and are paid per palm. “If the palm only needs pollination, the wage is 1,000 dinars (about $0.68),” said Mehdi Adel, a seasonal worker. “If it also needs cleaning, it’s 2,000 dinars (about $1.35). In a day, I can pollinate 15 to 20 trees — sometimes even up to 25.”
Dates are a major crop in southern Iraq, where palm cultivation remains a key part of the agricultural economy despite challenges posed by climate change, salinity, and water scarcity.
