Shafaq News- Duhok
Fig production in Semilan village in Iraqi Duhok province’s Akre district is abundant this season, with strong demand from traders and customers, farmer Mahdi Shaaban told Shafaq News.
Shaaban said traders and customers travel from urban centers to buy the locally grown figs, with some reserving quantities by phone before they are picked.
The Yahya Beg variety is the most prized locally for its sweetness, flavor, and ability to withstand weather conditions, according to Shaaban, who noted that black and Shakri figs are also grown in the area. Some trees in Semilan are more than 100 years old and continue to produce heavily.
Farmers begin tending the orchards in February through
plowing, pruning, and cleaning, before applying pest-control treatments through
June. The harvest runs from mid-summer through late August, with fruit picked
every two or three days.
Farmer Waad Shaaban told Shafaq News that work in Semilan’s fig orchards began in 2004 through local efforts. The crop provides seasonal income through November and generates a good financial return for farming families, he added. Figs are sold fresh, while part of the crop is dried or made into preserves for winter consumption.
Akre has around 270,000 fig trees, Agriculture Department Director Fadel Mustafa told Shafaq News in August. The harvest began later than usual this year after a prolonged winter and heavy rainfall, but agricultural indicators pointed to good yields, he added.
The district held its third Local Products Festival from September 17 to 19, with around 100 booths displaying locally produced goods, including figs, sumac, and Kurdish rice. Duhok Agriculture Department Director Ahmed Jamil said the festival was intended to attract private-sector investment in processing local agricultural products.
Akre produced more than 13,000 tons of agricultural goods across 2025 and the first eight months of 2026, according to The New Region. Agricultural exports rose from more than 5,800 tons in 2025 to over 7,200 tons so far this year.