Vintage Antar 71 tractors still carry Diyala’s watermelons to market

DIYALA — Antar 71 tractors built decades ago still bring the watermelon crop into the wholesale markets near Jalawla each morning, and farmers say the reason is fuel: about five litres for a round trip to the fields, against roughly 20 for newer machinery.

Fouad Fadhil starts at about 4 a.m., driving a 1989 Antar out to the fields and hauling the crop back. Loads of smaller, smoother watermelons sell for 100,000 to 200,000 dinars, about $65 to $130, he said, while larger and rougher ones can reach 400,000, about $260.

Hundreds of the tractors carry fruit from Umm al-Hinta, al-Islah, Arab Faraj and Arab Suleiman to auctions where it is unloaded by hand. Farmers cover the loads with green reed stalks and leaves against the sun. Farhan al-Safi, who owns the area’s largest wholesale market, said daily shipments can exceed 100 tonnes and some melons weigh more than 15 kilograms, with even small farmers bringing three trailer loads in season. Watermelons grown along the Diyala River are known locally for their flavour and colour, he said, and dozens of trucks leave each day for Basra, Maysan, Dhi Qar, Wasit, Kirkuk, Karbala, Baghdad and Najaf.

The Antar 71 is an Iraqi-assembled version of the Czechoslovak Zetor 7111, built at the mechanical industries complex in Iskandariya, Babil governorate, under industrial cooperation with the manufacturer. Several Antar models became common in Iraqi farming and many remain in use decades after production ended.

Farmers with fields near roads sometimes use newer vehicles, but those further out still depend on the Antar to reach ground ordinary vehicles cannot. The tractors also plough.