Akre in Duhok province is hosting its second Local Produce Festival, showcasing the district’s agricultural wealth and diverse products. Over 70 farmers, traders, and food companies participate in a three-day exhibition, highlighting the Kurdistan Region’s rich agricultural output and the KRG’s efforts to boost domestic and international exports.
The festival opened in Akre’s central square, running daily from noon until midnight. Fazil Mustafa, head of the Akre Agriculture Directorate, confirmed that the event features 70 booths displaying rice, figs, honey, sumac, nuts, and seasonal crops. Farmers and traders travel from across the Kurdistan Region to showcase their produce, attracting a large number of visitors each day.
Local rice varieties, including Sawar, Nook, and Paqla, are among the festival’s highlights. Farmer Rezwan Ramazan brought multiple rice types alongside apricots and other regional specialties, expressing hope for strong sales due to high demand. Beekeeper Haji Hikmet praised the festival as a “vital opportunity” to market honey and other products, describing it as a temporary store where farmers can sell a year’s labor in a few days.
Akre’s fertile soil, favorable climate, and abundant water resources make it one of Kurdistan’s most productive agricultural regions. Factories such as Aryas process rice, flour, and sumac for domestic and foreign markets. Last year, the district produced over 8,000 tons of figs from 250,000 trees. Experts value the fruit for its flavor and health benefits, including digestion support, cholesterol reduction, and skin and hair improvement.
Sumac has also emerged as a high-demand export product. This year, traders prepared 45 tons of red sumac for Türkiye and other international markets, including China, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Iran, and Jordan. Prices have risen above 5,000 IQD per kilogram, benefiting local farmers.
The festival reflects the KRG’s support for agricultural diversification, private-sector marketing, and export expansion. Infrastructure projects in Akre, including street repairs, schools, and mosques, further reinforce the district’s economic and social foundation. The event celebrates local identity and tradition, affirming Akre’s position as a key agricultural hub in the Kurdistan Region.