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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Bashir Jalal, a dedicated potato farmer from Zinava village in Duhok province's Sheikhan district, has been honored as the top grower of the Dutch Riviera potato across Iraq. The achievement, recognized by seed distributor Agrico, comes after more than 16 years of persistent hard work and commitment in his fields.
"The first year I planted, they recognized this potato as number one in quality," Jalal recounted. "The second year, it was still the first. After more than six years of consistent top performance, they declared, 'Enough, you must be first at the level of all of Iraq!'"
Jalal's journey began modestly, cultivating a small plot of land over a decade and a half ago. Today, his operation has expanded to 250 dunams (approximately 625,000 square meters). His consistent success led to repeated evaluations by Agrico representatives.
He attributes his success to daily vigilance. "I visit my potato fields every day for watering, applying necessary plant nutrients and pest control, and continuous monitoring,' he said.
Meanwhile, Hassan Hilmi, a representative for Agrico - a prominent Dutch seed potato company - confirmed Jalal's status to Rudaw.
"We confirm that Mr. Bashir is the first, and we always reference him as a model for our farmers," Hilmi stated. Agrico works with some 300 Iraqi farmers who collectively produce around 600 tons of the Riviera variety annually.
Beyond the Riviera, Jalal cultivates six other potato varieties, all of which are also recognized for their exceptional quality.
Kamal Arif, head of the Sheikhan Farmers' Union, noted Jalal's unique dedication, telling Rudaw, "We have nearly 600 farmers, but there are only 11 to 12 like Mr. Bashir, yet he stands out from all of them.'
The Kurdistan Region's favorable climate and fertile land contribute significantly to its thriving potato industry. Approximately 50,000 dunams of Duhok's agricultural land are dedicated to potato farming, yielding about 600,000 tons annually.
This robust sector is not only a source of local produce but also plays a vital role in diversifying the Region's economy. Surplus potatoes are regularly exported to Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, and even as far as South Africa.
Nayif Ramazan has contributed to this article.
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