Crowds gather in Kurdistan’s Halabja Pomegranate Festival

Shafaq News – Halabja

Halabja, northeastern Kurdistan Region, opened its 11th Pomegranate Festival on Thursday with vibrant celebrations, drawing broad public and official participation.

Aasi Faeq, a member of the festival’s organizing committee, told Shafaq News that this year’s event features the participation of more than 250 farmers and producers from various parts of the Region, showcasing different pomegranate varieties, natural juices, and food products derived from pomegranates, along with homemade goods that use the fruit as a main ingredient.

The festival, Faeq noted, also includes exhibitions of handicrafts, folklore, and heritage works, involving more than 300 artisans from Halabja and nearby areas, adding that the multi-day festival is expected to boost tourism and economic activity in the province by attracting visitors from across Iraq and abroad.

Addressing the agricultural situation, he said that low rainfall and climate change have affected production volumes this year, though quality and flavor remain high.

Faeq also affirmed that the local government of Halabja, in coordination with the Kurdistan Ministry of Agriculture, continues to support farmers through training and funding programs aimed at improving production and expanding both local and international markets.