1.5 million olive trees in Kurdistan fuel growing olive oil industry
Since the beginning of the ninth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government, significant importance has been placed on the agricultural sector. As part of these efforts, several factories specializing in olive oil production have been established. A Ministry of Agriculture official highlighted that the best olive varieties in the Kurdistan Region are Sorani, Ziri, and Albicano, known for their high oil content and excellent quality.
“There are seven olive oil factories, and 1,350 farmers work in them. The olives of the Kurdistan Region have their own characteristics, and the soil of Kurdistan is suitable for growing olive trees. In the Kurdistan Region, the olive production rate has increased. There are more than 1,500 olive orchards, 350 in Erbil province, and 300 in Sulaymaniyah province. The rest are in Duhok, Akre, Sheikhan, Halabja, Rania, and Garmiyan. The best varieties of olives in the Kurdistan Region are Sorani, Ziri, and Albicano, which have a high oil content, and the oil is of very high quality.”
Halkawt Abdulrahman, General Director of Horticulture, Forestry, and Fisheries, points out that there are a large number of olive trees in the Kurdistan Region, and according to the statistics from our department, there are 1.5 million olive trees. The statistics from the previous year are not available, but by 2023, olive production reached 1,800 tons.
The soil of the Kurdistan Region is very suitable for olives and has many characteristics, such as the shortness of the trees, which allow a large number of olive trees to be planted and produce fruit quickly. Several olive oil factories have been established, and more attention is being given to it. With the potential to plant a large number of olive trees, olive production can be greatly increased, as the existing quantity cannot meet the local demand.
The Kurdish Globe