To enhance agricultural diversity... The Green Belt begins grafting Sidr trees with the Basrawi apple variety

The First Southern Green Belt Department, affiliated with the Al-Abbas's (p) Holy Shrine, has launched a campaign to graft common Sidr trees with the Basra Apple variety to enhance agricultural diversity.

Agricultural Engineer Mohammed Qasim, head of the department's Afforestation and Ornamentation Unit, stated that "specialized staff have begun grafting common Sidr trees with the Basra Apple variety in the First Southern Green Belt orchards, following the success of a previous trial."

He added that "the Sidr tree grafting campaign has been ongoing for over three years, with more than 1,200 trees grafted across various varieties—including Basra Apple, Thai Apple, Zaytouni (Olive-like), Pear-shaped, and Pakistani."

Qasim noted that "the Green Belt produced over 100 kilograms of fruit from young Sidr trees in 2025," pointing out that "there are currently more than 6,000 common Sidr trees in the Green Belt orchards."

He explained that "the grafting process aims to convert trees from varieties that are unpopular in the market to highly sought-after ones, providing high-quality produce at reasonable prices and thereby supporting local markets."