ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Diversifying the economy amid looming climate change can also focus on bees and the basics.

The Kurdistan Region Regional Government (KRG) on November 29 announced that it had shipped two tons of high-quality honey to Qatar as part of a plan to reduce the region’s dependence on oil revenue. 

Officials say these exports will provide support to local beekeepers through creating markets both domestically and internationally. The government teamed up with the private sector for technical expertise.
                                                                  “Technical assistance has been offered to enhance farming practices, ensuring higher yields and better quality produce,” according to a statement issued by the KRG.

“It is a beginning for a long series of Kurdistan products exported. I thank the farmers, and wish them the best,” Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said. “Kurdistan’s honey is one of the best honeys in the globe and I hope it will become a recognized global brand and more international markets made available.”

Honey was selected in January 2023 as one of several products to be focused on. This marks the first time honey exports are being transported via air.
                                                                 Testing on the honey to ensure that it meets international standards was conducted in February in the UAE’s Fujairah and then in October in Dubai. Honey from eight locations across the KRI have been tested.

According to KRG official figures, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq produced around 1,100 tons in 2022, a figure that dropped to 550 tons in 2023 due to an unusually long rainy season leading to negative effects on production.

The KRG is in talks with multiple retailers in the UAE and Jordan for further exports.

Greater support for agriculture in general

According to a statement published on the KRG website in August, the “agricultural sector in the Kurdistan Region is experiencing remarkable growth, particularly in the area of potato cultivation. This progress is evidenced by the burgeoning demand for Kurdish potatoes from foreign countries, especially the Gulf states.”

“Recently, 300 tons of potatoes produced by Kurdish farmers in Erbil Governorate were exported to the United Arab Emirates,” it added. “Further supporting the domestic agricultural industry, the government is taking measures to prevent the import of potatoes from abroad, particularly during the local harvest season.”