With annual production of around 15,000 tons, Ej is a major pomegranate-growing hub, with its produce exported to Russia, Spain, the Persian Gulf states, and East Asia.
But the harvest season is about more than work and trade. With the start of the traditional pomegranate-picking ceremony, the region fills with a festive atmosphere as people from Eij return to their hometown to join family and friends in harvesting the red rubies.
Here, the pomegranate is more than a fruit. It is part of local livelihoods and traditions, finding its way onto family tables and into copper pots to make pomegranate paste and pickles, preserving the distinctive flavors of the region.
Hossein Vaez
