Khurmal family harvests 150 kilograms of dates from three palms

HALABJA — Halabja and Khurmal are better known locally for pomegranates, walnuts and figs, but one family in a village near Khurmal is now harvesting yellow and brown dates from three palm trees outside their home.

Mustafa Tahir, a resident of Deikon village in Khurmal district, told 964media that his family planted the palms without knowing whether they would ever bear fruit in the area.

“We planted the seedlings more than 15 years ago, not knowing if they’d give us a crop,” Tahir said. “We looked after them bit by bit, and they’ve been fruiting for five years now. They usually give us between 50 and 100 kilograms a year. This year they did really well and produced 150 kilograms.”

The family does not sell the dates. “Our dates aren’t for sale. They’re for us and the neighbors, and anyone who stops by gets some as a gift,” he said.

Both the yellow and brown varieties have yielded well, Tahir said, though this year’s fruit ripened about 20 days later than last year’s because of the weather.

He brought six more seedlings from Khanaqin this year and plans to keep adding trees, and gets advice on caring for them from Arab friends.

The palms have also drawn attention from passersby, who stop to look at them or take photographs, he said.