The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture announced on Saturday that, in cooperation with the Imam Hussain Holy Shrine in Karbala, it has successfully harvested the country’s first dragon fruit crop.

In a statement received by Karbala Now Agency, the ministry explained that the collaboration between the two sides facilitated the legal and procedural measures required to introduce the tropical dragon fruit plant into Iraq.

According to the statement, this cooperation culminated in the successful harvest of the first dragon fruit after its transfer from its native regions in Central and South America to Iraq—where its cultivation had previously been limited to certain Asian and Arab countries.

Specialists in agricultural nurseries noted that the dragon fruit is known for its pleasant flavor and comes in three varieties: pink skin with white pulp, pink skin with red pulp, and yellow skin with white pulp.