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Small pots beckon visitors for a taste of Kurdish honey.
The city of Sulaimani began hosting its three-day, fourth annual honey festival on October 30.
The festival, organised by NGO the Association of Beekeepers in Kurdistan Region, provides a platform for beekeepers to connect with retailers. The association has over 3000 beekeeper and honey producer members.
Local honey producer Abdullah Ibrahim praised the festival, but asked the government to combat competition from foreign produce.
"Actually, these kinds of festivals are very important for beekeepers. It allows them to bring their products and display them in a gallery, and it also introduces people to the quality of the honey, they can see whether it is good or bad. I appreciate the efforts of the government for organizing these kinds of festivals for farmers. But I have a crucial demand for the government: to close all borders so the imports of honey from outside is stopped," Abdullah said.
The beekeepers pride themselves on the production of pure honey, free from any modification.
"These festivals are important as they allow the customer to buy honey directly from the beekeeper. And they get pure honey without any additives such as sugar or chemical ingredients, which cause harm to the human body," said Sulaimani beekeeper Jalal Mohammed.
The festival helps broaden the experience of visitors to the Kurdish region to one beyond a tour of landmarks.
"As a tourist, when I came to Sulaimani, I went to the parks, to the mountainous areas, visited Ahmad Awa [waterfall] and other tourist destinations. But festivals are very important, whether it is a honey festival or otherwise. Because tourists are not only looking to visit but for products too. They look out for the kind of products this area is famous for," explained Iraqi festivalgoer Abbas Fadhil.
Reporting by Associated Press
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