The fruit is considered an Iraqi national symbol.
Al-Khalis is known for being home to a myriad of tall date palm trees which are also the source of the region’s beautiful scenery.
"The most sought-for type of date in al-Khalis is Dakal, a type which comes after al-Barhi. However, some people prefer Dakal over al-Barhi, and the people of the Kurdistan Region call it the Barhi of Al-Khalis," Karrar Abbas, a date farmer, told Rudaw's Anmar Ghazi over the weekend.
Date farmers take their products to a local wholesale market in al-Khalis known as al-Kazina before they are transported elsewhere in the country.
Inside the stores, various types and shapes of dates can be found.
Al-Khalis orchards are known to produce the finest types of dates, despite the farmers’ sufferings related to water scarcity and a lack of support from the government.
Iraq had 33 million date palm trees 70 years ago, according to data from the Iraqi agriculture ministry.
Half of this number has dried up over time due to the severe climate change and the deterioration of the water quality in the oil and the date-rich Basra.
According to data from the International Bank, the date is Iraq's second-largest product, after oil. In 2021, Iraq exported 600,000 tons of dates which were worth $120 million.
