Bag, a former engineer, now engaged in agriculture, cultivates six varieties of oranges and five varieties of tangerines in his orchards, showcasing his products in the Kurdistan Region market annually.
“We have 6 to 7 types of oranges, including blood orange, pink orange, and Abu al-Surra, and we have two types of Abu al-Surra, one red and the other green,” Jawid Bag told Rudaw’s Hunar Rashid on Monday.
“There is a difference in flavor from one orange to another,” he added.
Based on data from the Khanaqin Agriculture Department, there are about 2,600 orchards in the district, with the majority being palm orchards.
The annual citrus fruit production in Khanaqin typically amounts to approximately 12,000 tons, but this year it decreased to around 9,000 tons due to pest infestations.
Despite Khanaqin's being renowned for its orchards, it is currently experiencing drought as a result of water shortages. Some orchards have also been destroyed to make room for residential developments.
