SHOTLIST: - BASRA, IRAQ (SEPTEMBER 3, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL) 1. DRONE FOOTAGE OF DATE PALMS IN BASRA PROVINCE 2. HARVESTING DATES 3. INTERVIEW WITH IRAQI DATE FARMER ANADOLU SCRIPT: Harvesting has begun for dozens of varieties of dates across Iraq, with tons of the fruit being sent to markets for sale. Rich in fiber, the Middle Eastern fruit is being collected from massive groves, including trees that are more than 150 years old. Farmers said that yields this year are higher than last, attributing the increase to careful cultivation and attention given to the palm trees. Muhammad Al-Khuzaie, a spokesman for Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture, a spokesman for Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture, said the country has seen a significant improvement in date palm cultivation. For the first time, luxury date varieties were planted using advanced tissue culture techniques. Al-Khuzaie added that the ministry aims to increase the number of date palms to 30 million in the coming years, up from the current 22 million. At its peak before the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, Iraq had around 32 million date palms. Following years of decline, the number fell to 11 million after 2010.