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UAE tops in date farming

ABU DHABI — The UAE has made great strides in the field of palm cultivation that resulted in enhancing local date productions, said an Arab agricultural expert.

"The country has been exerting increasing efforts over the past years in the area of palm cultivation and palm research, placing the UAE on top of the countries that cater for date production," said Dr Awad Mohammed Ahmed Osman, Consultant at Khartoum-based Arab Investment Authority (AIA) in an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times.

Dr Osmam was on a five-day visit to the country to prepare a report on the research station of Hamraniah at Ras Al Khaimah, which is largely involved in conducting palm cultivation studies.

"I had been to the station to prepare a report upon a request from the higher authorities concerned in the UAE, in their efforts to develop the station and secure it with an internationally accredited status," said Dr Osman, who is a former expert at Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO in Kuwait.

Commenting on his compiled report about the research body, he said the station is doing a great job concerning research as two third of its activities is devoted to palm cultivation.

“I have pondered with the authorities concerned the means and ways of further developing the station. The report raised three main recommendations that should be met to attain that end," said Dr Osman, who was also a coordinator at the Arab Centre for Studies for Arid ZOnes and Dry Lands-ACSAD.

He said building up more research laboratories, increasing the technical cadres as well as the amount of water allocated for irrigation.

He also praised the country for its distinguished outcome in terms of post-harvesting operations.

"The UAE has been characterised by good post harvesting operations including packaging, storing and drying process of date productions. The country has also a lot of on-going scientific research on these operations."

He said that lately the country had been remarkably involved in palm tissue cultivation compared to other Gulf and Arab countries, pointing out that Sudan has been importing this plantation.

"There are 110 different types of dates in the country that vary between excellent, very good, good and ordinary dates. These types include local and import date," said Dr Osman.

He has also commended farmers in the UAE on the culture of palm cultivation. "Farmers should be educated on palm cultivation based on scientific research. Some hired Asian farmers might be ignorant about the basics of palm cultivation, causing damage to this sensitive plantation," he said.