Iraq plans date palm expansion into Kurdistan Region: Official

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq is planning to expand date palm cultivation into the Kurdistan Region, targeting its warmer areas as part of a broader effort to boost production and diversify agriculture, a federal official said on Wednesday.

Hatem Karim, director general of the Iraqi horticulture department, told Rudaw that the country has made significant progress in restoring its palm tree population over the past two decades.

"In 2003, the number of date palms in Iraq was approximately 12 million; however, based on the plan we implemented, that number has now risen to more than 22 million palms," Karim said.

Karim also outlined a new initiative aimed at introducing date palm cultivation to the Kurdistan Region. "After the success of two experimental date palm forests in Kirkuk and Nineveh, we intend to coordinate with the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Agriculture to replicate that experience in the warmer areas of the Kurdistan Region," he said.

The push comes as Iraq’s agricultural sector faces mounting challenges from climate change. Karim noted that some traditional fruit crops have declined sharply.

He added that Iraq is home to a wide variety of dates, noting both strong export performance and plans for further growth. "Last year, we exported approximately 650,000 tons of dates, and we plan to increase that amount this year," he said, adding that the country has more than 600 varieties, with the widely grown Zahidi among the most common.

Iraq currently has more than 22 million palm trees, placing it among the world’s leading countries in palm tree numbers and ranking it fourth globally in date production.

The crop remains a cornerstone of the country’s agricultural economy and cultural identity, particularly in southern and central regions.

Iraq had 33 million date palm trees 70 years ago, according to data from the agriculture ministry, but severe climate change and water quality deterioration, particularly in the southern Basra province, caused millions of trees to dry up.