Farmer in Salah al-Din cultivates 23 varieties of dates, including rare Ajwa

SALAH AL-DIN — A farmer in the village of Al-Adhiyah, Ishaqi subdistrict, has successfully grown 23 types of dates in his home garden, including the Ajwa variety, which is considered difficult to cultivate in Iraq’s climate.

“I have 23 types of dates in my garden, including Ajwa. People say it can’t be grown here, but I proved it could succeed in Iraq,” Talib Ibrahim told 964media.

Other varieties include Khastawi, Khadhrawi, Zahdi, Buraim and Barhi. Ibrahim said the Buraim palm produces more than 300 kilograms per tree, which his family shares with relatives, friends and neighbors.

His brother, Saad Ibrahim, said, “We don’t sell the garden’s dates. We provide them for the household, the neighbors, and anyone in need.” He added that the family also cultivates Maktoum and other varieties.

Umm Barzan, a member of the household, said the family enjoys gathering under the palms and sharing the harvest. “We have different kinds of date palms in the garden. We often sit under their shade and enjoy picking the fruit,” she said, noting the Khadhrawi harvest was abundant this season and distributed to neighbors across the subdistrict.