Taq Taq Fig Festival draws 25,000 visitors, boosts local economy

TAQ TAQ — The fourth Taq Taq Fig Festival, held last Thursday in Mehnaz Tourist Park, attracted 25,000 visitors and generated around 250 million dinars ($179,000) in revenue, according to local officials.

Ismail Abdullah, head of tourism in Koya, told 964media: “This year 25,000 tourists attended the fourth Taq Taq Fig Festival, compared to last year’s figure the rate is higher, and a large amount of produce was sold.”

More than 100 farmers and artisans took part, offering fresh figs along with handmade crafts and traditional Kurdish foods. “Nearly 10 tons of figs were sold and no farmer’s produce remained unsold,” said Aso Mustafa, the district commissioner of Taq Taq.

He added: “The festival revenue amounted to nearly 250 million dinars ($179,000).”

According to agricultural department statistics, Taq Taq produces about 1,000 tons of figs annually, making the fruit a hallmark of the area. The festival, now in its fourth year, is intended to showcase the local crop while also promoting tourism and creating income for the district.

The event followed weeks of high-volume fig trading in Qaranaw’s wholesale market, where farmers from Taq Taq and nearby areas have been delivering large quantities of their harvest. Local vendors told 964media that daily sales exceeded 30 tons on some days, with about 200 farmers supplying the market. Buyers from across the Kurdistan Region now come directly to Qaranaw to purchase figs at auction, with prices ranging from 7,000 dinars ($5) per kilogram at the start of the season to as low as 600 dinars ($0.40) as supply increased.