Iraqi farmer successfully grows Thai papaya trees in Babil

BABIL, December 30 — Mahmoud Assaf, a farmer in Babil, has successfully cultivated Thai papaya trees on a half-dunum plot of land and harvesting set to take place in April.

Mahmoud Assaf, owner of the papaya farm:

“The cultivation of 400 papaya trees began in March 2022, and now, after a year and a half, they have reached the fruiting stage. It is expected that the first harvest in April will yield around one and a half tons of papaya fruit, with the potential for increased production thereafter.”

“While the cultivation has been deemed successful, the severe cold and intense heat have a significant impact. Protective measures, including planting among palm, pomegranate, and fig trees, act as windbreaks.”

Adnan Al-Khafaji, head of the Agriculture Department in Al-Musiab:

“We continuously monitor the area cultivated with papaya fruit and encourage and support such projects to diversify fruit varieties. The success of this experiment encourages its expansion and trial in other locations, especially given the farmer’s readiness to collaborate with those interested in the experiment.”

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