Millions of narcissus bulbs signal start of spring season in Kurdistan

Duhok province has become the leading producer of narcissus (Nergiz) in the Kurdistan Region, with up to 50 million bulbs shown in a festival according to Nergiz growers, marking the start of a new season in the year.

Dilawar Mashhood, the owner of the Narcissus growing project in Bablo village east of Duhok, said that this is the third festival for narcissuses in Duhok.

“This time, we have 50 million bulbs and 15 types of narcissus,” he said.

He explained that they started in 2007 with a mere 10,000 bulbs that they brought from mountainous areas in the Kurdistan Region. Then they grew more of them and got different types until they reached the present number.

“Besides Kurdish types, we have foreign types of which we import 7 tons annually from the Netherlands, so we have Narcissus from October until May,” Mashhood said.

A company has proposed to use these narcissuses to make perfume.

Jaafar Ameen, an expert in growing narcissuses, explained that out of the 15 types of narcissuses in this festival, the Kurdish type is the most popular among locals. It’s also easier to grow, multiplies quicker, and has a very nice scent.

Duhok governor Ali Tatar said this is an excellent example of the great environment and rich soil in the Kurdistan Region.

“We must work to protect it and promote such projects. We intend to invite foreign diplomatic representatives and tourists to this festival next year,” Tatar said.

Through selling these narcissuses in a few days, the project’s profit could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to the organizers, their main goal is to show people it’s possible to grow Kurdish narcissuses and profit from them in an environmentally healthy way.

One of the festival’s attendees, Zaynab Lutfi, said she was happy to be surrounded by narcissuses.

“The scent of Kurdish mountainous narcissuses and their beautiful colors look like a scene from a movie. I must come here every year,” she exclaimed.

Akre is well-known in the region for growing narcissuses with a pleasant scent early in the season.

Zikri Mohammed has grown and sold Nergiz in Akre for over 12 years. He has 6,000 narcissus bulbs in his garden and runs his business from January through April.

“The Nergiz is usually a symbol that spring is coming,” he told Kurdistan 24. “In the first two months of spring in March and April, we sell most of our product, but now, we can sell them in January and February too with a new technique.”

This technique involves picking them after they grow, then putting them in mildly warm water in a warm room for two days until they bloom.

“We use this technique because of high demand. Otherwise, spring is the proper season for Nergiz,” said Mohammed.

He advised that buyers change the water and cut the bottom of Nergiz often so that they can bloom longer.

One bouquet of Nergiz is worth $2.50. The sale of locally-grown Nergiz generates approximately $120,000 in income for Akre each year.

According to estimates, there are at least 2.5 million Nergiz bulbs in Akre. The tourism directorate in the district has encouraged people to grow more of this flower since it has been successful in attracting more tourists.

There are two Kurdish Nergiz types in Akre: Kitik and Jouri. The Jouri type is the most sought-after one because of its long-lasting scent and the fact it only grows in mountainous areas.