Basra municipality defends palm tree removal amid red weevil infestation

BASRA — Basra’s municipality defended its decision on Sunday to uproot palm trees around the city’s sports complex, citing a severe red palm weevil infestation that made the trees untreatable. The infestation had reportedly spread rapidly, raising concerns over the pest’s potential to harm other trees in the vicinity.

According to Basra Municipality Director Firas Abdul Khaliq, the action was necessary to prevent the weevil from further spreading across the province. “Removing the infested palm trees around the sports complex was essential to protect the remaining trees in the area,” he told 964media. Abdul Khaliq noted that the municipality had attempted treatments over the past two months, but the high level of infestation made recovery efforts unsuccessful. He added that the municipality intends to replant the area with new palm trees, emphasizing the symbolic significance of palms to Basra.

The removal has drawn criticism from local activists, with civil activist Hakim Al-Miyahi questioning the decision given the high cost associated with each palm tree, estimated at 3 million Iraqi dinars ($1,986) per tree. “Why waste public funds?” he asked, suggesting that treatment might have been an alternative to uprooting. Al-Miyahi also expressed concerns over recurring issues tied to neglected green spaces and inadequate irrigation practices, questioning the financial implications of replanting.

Nationwide, Iraq’s palm tree population has now exceeded 22 million, reflecting an increase of 5 million over the past three years. This growth edges the country closer to its peak of 30 million palms in the mid-1970s—a number that had significantly declined due to war and environmental degradation.

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