The red palm weevil continues to spread in several Iraqi governorates, amidst efforts by agricultural teams to monitor and combat the infestations, while specialists warn of the danger of the pest that feeds inside palm trunks and can lead to the destruction of trees before clear signs of infestation appear.
Amir Sahab Al-Hadad, the head of the plant protection department at the Najaf Agricultural Directorate, stated that the weevil is a dangerous pest that entered Iraq through the borders, with infections recorded in more than seven governorates at varying rates, while agricultural teams' efforts are focused on field surveys, early detection, installing pheromone traps, and treating infected trees.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) confirms that the first official record of the pest in Iraq was in the Safwan area of Basra Governorate in 2015, and since then, agricultural authorities have taken measures to limit its spread.
In Najaf, the infestation was recorded in the Al-Haidariya area during July 2025, prompting specialized teams to begin surveys, investigations, install traps, and monitor orchards. Al-Hadad explained that the Al-Munayther area, adjacent to the Babylon, Karbala, and Najaf governorates, requires coordination among agricultural teams to prevent the pest from spreading to new areas.
The danger of the weevil lies in its ability to infest the palm from the inside; the larvae feed on the internal tissues of its trunk, while the tree may appear healthy externally during the early stages of infestation.
Agricultural authorities indicate that the transfer of infected offshoots is one of the primary factors in the spread of the pest. Therefore, offshoots are subjected to inspection and sterilization procedures before being allowed to be transported between governorates, emphasizing the importance of obtaining a health certificate for the transported offshoots.
Agricultural teams in several governorates continue control and monitoring operations. In Baghdad, the Ministry of Agriculture carried out surveys, diagnostics, and treatments for infected trees during August 2026, while Karbala took preventive measures to limit the pest's arrival to its orchards.
Specialists warn that delayed detection of infestation may give the insect a chance to breed and spread to other trees, emphasizing that effective control relies on early detection, monitoring orchards, installing traps, and preventing the transfer of infected offshoots, alongside prompt reporting of any signs of suspicion.
With Iraq possessing millions of palm trees and the significance of dates in its agricultural activities, combating the red palm weevil emerges as one of the challenges that require ongoing monitoring operations and coordination among governorates and relevant authorities to protect the orchards and limit the spread of infestation across Iraq.