ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - At least 100 tons of sumac has been exported to neighboring Syria from the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province in the course of the past three days due to a significant increase in produce and high demand from outside, with the bulk of the exportation coming from Akre. 

“This year, the sumac and fig produce is higher compared with the last year in Duhok province,” Ahmed Jameel, head of the Duhok agriculture department, told The New Region on Monday, adding that “this year alone the sumac produce has reached 7,000 tons.”

The export to Syria has been done by a sumac packaging factory in Zakho town, he added. 

Akre is famous for several types of produce, among them rice, cucumber, wheat, sumac, and figs.

In early June, the second largest produce market in Iraq was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region in Akre with a goal of marketing produce from the Region in Iraq and the international market.

“Progress continues in the Kurdistan Region and we want to diversify its economy,” PM Masrour Barzani said during a ceremony to open the produce market.

The KRG has on several occasions assured local farmers that the Kurdistan Region's agriculture sector is "experiencing remarkable growth."

Since the start of 2024, around 100 tons of Akre’s produce has been exported abroad, as part of the government’s plan to diversify the sources of income as well as providing aid to local farmers.

One of the key objectives of PM Barzani’s cabinet is to diversify the Region’s economy by exporting goods abroad.