Signs of growth in Iraq’s date palm industry have given hope to young entrepreneurs as the sector flourishes after decades of war and drought.
Maitham Saad is one of them.
For the computer engineer, the date palm tree and its sweet fruit make up a large part of his childhood memories and identity.
Having grown up in the southern province of Basra, Mr Saad recalls how palm trees crowded the banks of the Shatt Al Arab River in early 1980s.
“Then, my ancestors’ groves were all green and the harvest was abundant that they exported to different countries,” Mr Saad, 39, told The National.
“For me, this tree is something of great value and I’m emotionally attached to it.” He blamed war and drought for ravaging his country’s prized date palms.
Iraq was the world’s top producer of the fruit during 1950s and 1960s. Then, it had nearly 32 million date palm trees with annual production reaching around one million tonnes, most of which was exported to markets in Asia and Europe.
But it has lost more than half of these trees since the 1980s when the Iran-Iraq war broke out, followed by harsh UN-imposed economic sanctions during the 1990s which crippled investment in agriculture.
A series of droughts followed, starting at the end of the 1990s and continuing after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. The ensuing chaos further disrupted the agriculture sector.
By 2004, there were only around nine million trees and the annual production was hovering at around 200,000 tonnes, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
The following year, the government started to launch initiatives to increase the number of trees and to encourage the private sector to invest in the sector.
“Date palm trees have always been considered a national treasure in Iraq,”
Kashif Al Gitta
These efforts have borne fruit.
By the end of last year, annual production had reached about one million tonnes — an increase of about 30 per cent from 2020 and about 60 per cent from 2019, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
From last year's production, 600,000 tonnes was exported, with the lion’s share sent to the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey and Egypt, the ministry’s figures show.
Amid the peak in demand locally and internationally, Mr Saad wanted to add an Iraqi touch to the dates to give the purchasers a unique experience.
In May 2018, his passion for dates led him to enter the gourmet dates market. That’s when his Berhyah brand began its journey.
“I thought it was a good idea to make the dates a special Iraqi gift that is linked to the country’s civilisation and heritage,” the father of two said.
At a small workshop in his home town of Abu Al Khaseeb district south of Basra, Berhyah — named after one of the most famous types of dates in Iraq, Berhi — was born. When the brand was launched, producing handmade date sweets was mostly a cottage industry employing small numbers of women.
The products are packaged in a selection of elegant gift boxes with elaborate designs inspired by engravings found in ancient Babylonian and Assyrian sites, heritage-related scenes and works of art by local artists.
Now, Berhyah is considered one of Iraq’s bestsellers of premium organic gourmet dates.
Rather than using only Berhi dates, it now also uses eight other types: Ashrasi, Khidrawi, Braym, Um Al Amood, Usta Omran, Khyara, Qorunfoli and Hilawi.
They are sold in luxury boutiques in Basra and the northern city of Erbil as well as several other places.
Customers can choose from nine varieties of sweets with five flavours; pistachio and cardamom, walnut and cinnamon, sesame and tahini, coconut oil and peanut butter.
For VIP orders, it offers dates wrapped in edible gold leaf. It recently introduced cookies and French pastries stuffed with dates.
“From A to Z, our work offers different meanings through different symbols from Iraq’s history and that makes anyone proud when buying and gifting such a product,” said Mr Saad.
Like other business, Berhyah was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Demand started to peak before and during Ramadan, rising by between 45 per cent to 55 per cent and boosted by the easing of pandemic-related restrictions.
It now serves clients not only in Iraq but also in countries including the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The fruit continues to be a key food during Ramadan in Iraq and elsewhere. Traditionally, it is the first food eaten by Muslims to break their fast after sunset during the holy month. The dates regulate the body’s use of sugar and are an excellent source of fibre and carbohydrates.
The tree has been an integral part of Iraq’s history. It is thought to have been cultivated for more than 4,500 years, providing a staple food. Its fronds have also been used to make shelters and its leaves woven into mats and other products.
Amid growing interest in reviving the date palm industry, Labeeb Kashif Al Gitta founded the Baghdad-based agritech start-up Nakhla, the Arabic word for date palm, in 2018.
It offers cultivation, harvesting and cleaning services for date palm trees across Baghdad whether in houses or public areas, for a subscription fee and a share of the revenue from the harvest. The company sells its share of the harvest under its own brand.
Despite starting with only a few dozen palm trees, the company now looks after thousands. It has been awarded the care of more than 12,000 trees across Baghdad by the local municipality.
Last month it received a six-figure investment from Euphrates Ventures, an Iraq-focused venture fund.
“Date palm trees have always been considered a national treasure in Iraq,” Mr Kashif Al Gitta quoted in a statement after the funding was received.
“Today there are more than 19 million date palm trees, seven million of which are not made productive. We want to change that.”
The company plans to launch its mobile app by the middle of the year and has plans to integrate AI and 'Internet of Things' elements into its services.
“There is great potential in reviving agriculture in Iraq, but we want to go beyond that and integrate the latest technologies into our service,” he said.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
TOP 5 DRIVERS 2019
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 10 wins 387 points
2 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, 4 wins, 314 points
3 Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 3 wins, 260 points
4 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 2 wins, 249 points
5 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1 win, 230 points
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
SERIE A FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Roma v Udinese (5pm)
SPAL v Napoli (8pm)
Juventus v Torino (10.45pm)
Sunday
Sampdoria v AC Milan (2.30pm)
Inter Milan v Genoa (5pm)
Crotone v Benevento (5pm)
Verona v Lazio (5pm)
Cagliari v Chievo (5pm)
Sassuolo v Bologna (8pm)
Fiorentina v Atalanta (10.45pm)
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Soldier F
“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.
“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.
“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”
Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
The%20specs
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