The Director General of the Jordanian Farmers Union, Mahmoud Al-Aouran, said Tuesday that the rainfall that has begun across the Kingdom signals a good rainy and agricultural season compared with previous seasons.
اضافة اعلان
Al-Aouran said the rainfall will have a positive impact on various agricultural and environmental sectors, contributing to increased soil moisture and strengthening water reserves in springs and wells.
It will also improve the growth of natural pastures and help forest trees that have been affected by drought in recent years.
He noted that the rainfall will support the growth of field crops and fruit trees, particularly olive trees, while also helping improve the natural environment for plants and wildlife.
Olive Trees
Regarding olive trees, Al-Aouran explained that rainfall helps wash dust and dirt from trees and fruit, benefiting farmers and workers involved in the olive harvest.
He added that the drop in temperatures accompanying the rainfall also helps eliminate insects present on the trees.
Al-Aouran stressed that rainfall does not increase the amount of oil in olives, but rather helps clean the trees and fruit.
He expected most olive presses to open their doors to receive olives within around 15 days, after completing preparations and undergoing inspections by relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, and the Jordan Food and Drug Administration.
Wheat and Barley
Regarding field crops, Al-Aouran urged farmers to accelerate the planting of wheat, barley and legumes and take advantage of the soil moisture resulting from the rainfall, particularly as the planting window for these crops is limited to the coming weeks.
He said field crops depend heavily on rainfall, adding that low rainfall in previous seasons had reduced farmers’ interest in growing them despite their importance to food security and increasing strategic crop reserves.
He stressed that current conditions provide farmers with an opportunity to expand the cultivation of wheat, barley, legumes and other field crops.
He also called for production inputs, particularly seeds, equipment and machinery, to be made available and for obstacles facing farmers to be addressed.
Al-Aouran pointed out that increased field-crop production contributes to supplying locally manufactured food products, reducing reliance on imports and limiting the impact of fluctuations in international markets on prices.
He affirmed that the timing and quantities of rainfall are a positive indicator for field and open-field crops and will help improve the growth of crops that have been affected by rainfall shortages in recent years.
Al-Aouran described the current rainy season as promising for Jordan’s agricultural and water sectors.
