Low rainfall cuts Duhok’s apple harvest by 60%, says agriculture director

DUHOK — Duhok Governorate is expected to produce 60% fewer apples this year compared to 2024 due to low rainfall, according to the governorate’s general director of agriculture, Ahmad Jamil.

Jamil told 964media that 7,230 dunams of land (1786 acres) are cultivated with apple orchards across Duhok, with most concentrated in the Berwari Bala area.

He said, “Last year, Duhok produced 10,050 tons of domestic apples. This year, we expect only around 4,000 tons because of reduced rainfall.”

The harvest season for apples is currently underway, with Berwari Bala known for producing some of the region’s most recognizable apples, particularly the red-skinned variety.

In total, more than 10 types of apples are grown in the area, with colors ranging from red and yellow to green.

Duhok boasts a diverse agricultural sector, producing a range of fruits such as grapes, pomegranates, and figs, in addition to vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.

Earlier this month, the Duhok Agriculture Directorate has opened a new center to collect and market agricultural products from the governorate’s border regions, serving as a hub for receiving, sorting, packaging, and distributing crops.

From January 2, 2025, through the end of September, total exports of agricultural products from Duhok governorate reached 209,391 tons to other Iraqi cities.

The governorate’s 18th annual grape and honey festival took place in September under the slogan “Duhok, the source of domestic production.”