Pomegranates Are Harbingers of Autumn in Aseer

The Aseer region is renowned for its pomegranate trees, which are known locally as the "autumn fruit." The harvest season begins in September. This year, there has been abundant production of high-quality pomegranates; part is sold at local markets, and the surplus is exported all over the Kingdom. Agricultural Engineer Hassan bin Omair Al-Wadei, a researcher at the National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases (Weqaa), said that pomegranates are one of the region's key crops. Their cultivation requires fertile soil, a moderate climate, and a reliable water supply, all of which are available in Aseer. He added that the farms across Aseer's governorates produce various types of pomegranates, particularly the southern varieties, such as the Taifi, Makkah, and Egyptian Manfalouti. Several annual festivals have been dedicated to pomegranates in Aseer, including the Jawf Al-Maamer Pomegranate Festival in Sarat Abidah, Al-Farshah, Ahad Rafidah, and Dhahran Al-Janoub. Al-Wade i stressed that proper agricultural practices by Aseer's farmers, from planting to harvesting, are key to the abundance and quality of these high nutritional value fruit. These practices include pruning the trees, preparing basins for irrigation, using natural fertilizers, and following an irrigation scheduling from the appearance of leaves until the flowering stage. During the flowering phase, irrigation is done once every 10 days, to prevent the flowers from falling after the fruit has been set. In the fruiting stage, regular irrigation is resumed, typically twice a week. At that point, farmers also begin protecting the pomegranates from pests and diseases, with help from the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, channeled mostly through the Weqaa Center, which provides an integrated farm management plan. Specialists assist farmers by monitoring, guiding, and educating them on pest and disease control methods. Al-Wadei pointed out that one of the most common pests affecting pomegranates is the "pomegranate fruit worm", which is monitored until harvest; pest control measures are halted for an entire month before the harvest to ensure consumer safety and to guarantee that the fruit is free from pesticide residues. Source: Saudi Press Agency