Farmers in the Balakayati region of northern Iraq say they're facing one of their worst apple harvests in years, according to 964media.
A combination of unusually cold weather and spring snowfall severely damaged orchards, slashing yields across the area.
"Because of cold, wind, and snow, this year's apple yield is very low," farmer Rashid Hassan said. "Last year I harvested 40 tons from my orchard, but this year I only got 15 tons — and I had the highest yield among other farmers."
Balakayati, known for its fertile soil and high-quality produce, typically produces around 2,000 tons of appl