Cucumber harvest underway in Balad district as farmers benefit from strong pickle factory demand

SALAH AL-DIN — On his 8-donum farm in the Balad district of Salah Al-Din governorate, farmer Lazim Khawam Al-Khazraji has begun harvesting this season’s cucumber crop with the help of his family.

Lazim told 964media, “If it weren’t for the pickle producers buying our cucumber harvest, farmers would lose money. This season cost me a lot—from buying seeds to pesticides—so the cucumbers could come out looking this good and priced reasonably compared to previous years.”

He said this year’s market prices are better than in previous seasons, which were affected by plant diseases, pests, and weak market demand. Cucumbers are sorted into two grades: “fine,” which sells at a higher price, and “rough.” Prices range between 250 to 300 Iraqi dinars (about $0.17 to $0.21) per kilo. Lazim harvests about 100 to 150 boxes per day, which are shipped to local markets and pickle factories in Balad.

“The factories revived the harvest season because they consume cucumbers and buy in quantities that match the effort and cost we put into daily care and labor,” he said.

Farmers in Balad typically grow cucumbers on plots proportional to family size, with about 18 people working each 10-donum plot. Adults, children, and women all participate in the harvest.

Bilal Khawam, another farmer, said, “Rough cucumbers sell for 6,000 dinars (about $4.14) per 25-kilo basket, while fine cucumbers go for 7,500 dinars (about $5.17). We start working from early morning until 1 p.m. Despite the exhaustion, we are happy with this season.”

Ahmed Aidan, also a farmer, said, “We harvested between 100 and 150 boxes of cucumbers this morning. The price per kilo is just 250 to 300 dinars (about $0.17 to $0.21). There’s strong demand from pickle factories, which helps keep us farming. Grocers in Balad also buy from us at the same prices.”