UK congratulates Kurdistan Region for its pomegranates export

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United Kingdom on Monday congratulated the Kurdistan Region for the first exports of locally grown pomegranates to the Gulf market.

“Congratulations to the #KRI on its first exports of pomegranates (#Hanar) to the Gulf!” the UK Consulate General tweeted with photos of a box of pomegranates.

“We tried some in our office - delicious!” the diplomatic mission added with a face-savoring food emoji.

Congratulations to the #KRI on its first exports of pomegranates (#Hanar) to the Gulf! We tried some in our office - delicious! 😋 pic.twitter.com/QwwZCYHPZs

— UK in Erbil (@ukinerbil) December 12, 2022

The Region has recently announced that its first shipment of pomegranates had arrived at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) markets in a bid to diversify its source of income, which is heavily dependent on the sale of hydrocarbons.

The first shipment of the “very delicious pomegranates” was a “pilot project”, which is set to be followed by exporting other fruits, such as figs and grapes in the future, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said recently in a televised speech.

Barzani visited one of the stores that had exported the fruits to the Gulf market, expressing his government’s full support for the initiative.

Numerous media campaigns have been launched since then to promote the Kurdish agricultural sector as well as pomegranates with #Hanar hashtags.

Sweden’s Embassy in Iraq on Monday thanked Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani for “the gift of delicious #Hanar pomegranates”.

Following Ambassador Jessica Svärdström’s first official visit to the Iraqi Kurdistan Region last week, many thanks to the Prime Minister of the KRG, H.E. @masrourbarzani, for the gift of delicious #Hanar pomegranates. pic.twitter.com/C1Fzc1y6uz

— Sweden in Iraq (@SwedeninIQ) December 12, 2022

Per a card message attached to the gifted boxes of pomegranates, Barzani wrote:

“For centuries farmers in our Zakho and Halabja regions have grown some of the finest produce in the Middle East. We are pleased to offer you their wares; delectable world-class organic fruits, which are now yours to savor too,” Barzani wrote in a message card attached to the gifted boxes of pomegranates delivered to the diplomatic mission.