Shoppers in the UAE will now be able to buy pomegranates grown in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.
Hanar pomegranates, the Kurdistan region of Iraq's most famous fruit, have hit the shelves of UAE retailers Lulu and Carrefour.
“This is the first and largest non-oil export initiative that has happened after much hard work and diplomatic initiatives between leaders of the KRG (Kurdish Regional Government) and the UAE,” Jaleel Salihi, a senior analyst at Prime Minister Masrour Barzani's office, told The National.
The delicious fruit will be exported from nearly 100 farms in Halabja and Zakho to the UAE where they will be re-exported to other Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, Mr Salihi said.
Pomegranates from Halabja and Zakho “have an advantage and are in global demand because they are free of chemical fertilisers and pesticides,” he said.
“So they are naturally grown.”
The fruit is part of Iraq's Kurdistan region's identity. Every year Halabja hosts a pomegranate festival to showcase its products.
“You cannot go to a Kurdish home without having some,” Mr Salihi said.
Mr Barzani said Kurdistan's premium grade pomegranates are hitting supermarkets across the Gulf as promised, on Twitter.
More than 500 tonnes have already been exported and the KRG is looking to expand to Europe.
The exports to the UAE are estimated to be about worth about $1 million in the first phase and to reach $4 million by 2023.
The KRG has just conducted its first cycle of trial shipments, Mr Salihi said, adding that after the holidays the government is expecting to “start a full stack of orders to wholesalers in the UAE.”
“We see Dubai as a hub for Kurdistan and its [products] can be re-exported to other countries. There is a high level of co-operation that has been translated to the working teams between the KRG and the UAE,” Mr Salihi said.
“This is an initiative and proof of concept that Kurdistan can export and its agricultural projects are exportable and export-worthy,” he said.
Since the Kurdish pomegranates are new to the market, it may take time for UAE customers to get used to them.
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How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
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Hope
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Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
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If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
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Paatal Lok season two
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