Jordan Valley — Over the past two decades, Jordan’s date palm sector has undergone a strategic transformation from traditional farming into a promising major agricultural industry that has emerged on the country’s investment and export map. Sector stakeholders say the date palm industry in the Jordan Valley has become one of the key drivers of Jordan’s agricultural economy and a cornerstone for preserving agricultural land and developing local communities.
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They stressed the importance of building bridges of cooperation between the public and private sectors and international institutions to strengthen value chains and facilitate exports, while focusing on sustainable agricultural practices, water resource management, and adaptation to climate change to enhance the sector’s role in supporting the national economy.
During the launch of Jordanian Date Harvest and Picking Day activities on Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture Saeb Kharaysat said the date palm and dates sector is one of the promising agricultural sectors in the Kingdom, given the quality and standards of Jordanian produce and its ability to compete.
He stressed that supporting Jordanian farmers and developing the agricultural sector are priorities for the Ministry of Agriculture, noting that the ministry’s responsibility goes beyond supporting agricultural production to improving product quality, strengthening agricultural marketing and processing and value addition, and opening more markets for Jordanian agricultural products. This, he said, would enhance their competitiveness and presence in foreign markets.
He added that it is important to develop value chains in the dates sector and capitalize on opportunities in food processing, packaging, and marketing to increase the added value of Jordanian products and strengthen their competitiveness. He also affirmed that the ministry continues to support various agricultural sectors in a way that contributes to sustainable agricultural development and strengthens food security.
Former Prime Minister Adnan Badran said developing date palm cultivation and sustaining the success of Jordan’s dates sector require an integrated partnership among all relevant sectors and institutions.
He highlighted the importance of integrating the efforts of the National Agricultural Research Center, universities, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Jordan Valley Authority, farmers, the Jordan Dates Association, and the Jordan Engineers Association, in a way that ensures scientific research, modern agricultural technologies, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence are utilized to serve the sector.
Raising productivity and quality
“This cooperation forms an integrated team capable of increasing productivity and quality, enhancing the competitiveness of Jordanian dates, and opening new export markets, thereby expanding the economic and social impact of date palm cultivation in Jordan,” Badran said.
Dr. Anwar Haddad, president of the Jordan Dates Association, said the date palm and dates sector in the Jordan Valley and Wadi Araba “is no longer merely a traditional agricultural activity, but has today become one of the key drivers of the agricultural economy and food security in the Kingdom.”
“Our vision for the coming period requires establishing a genuine strategic partnership bringing together the private and public sectors as well as international and regional institutions,” he said. “Building bridges is the only way to strengthen value chains for Medjool dates and other Jordanian varieties and overcome obstacles to reaching global markets efficiently and competitively.”
He noted that the dates sector has become one of the most important agricultural activities generating employment opportunities in the Jordan Valley, providing between 10 and 1,000 direct and indirect jobs annually, with employment increasing during the peak harvesting, grading, and sorting season from August through November.
Women account for more than 50% to 70% of the total workforce at grading, packaging, and sorting stations, he said, contributing positively to women’s economic participation in rural communities in the Jordan Valley and providing stable sources of income for families. The sector has also succeeded in increasing the share of Jordanian workers in post-harvest operations.
Haddad said the sector has helped stimulate supporting industries, reduce and curb rural migration, and drive the local economy in logistics, packaging manufacturing, refrigeration, and maintenance.
“Date Harvest and Picking Day demonstrates that investment in Jordan’s date palm sector is no longer merely a field-based agricultural activity, but an integrated economic model that combines modern technology, environmental sustainability, and comprehensive community development,” he said.
According to Paul Obio, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative in Jordan, available data for 2023 showed significant development in date palm cultivation and date production in Jordan.
The area planted with date palms reached approximately 44,000 dunums, while production stood at around 32,650 metric tons. This reflects the major efforts made by farmers and relevant stakeholders to advance the sector and strengthen its position, he said.
He noted that maintaining this progress requires continued investment in agricultural innovation, improving productivity and quality, strengthening resilience to climate challenges and agricultural pests, developing value chains, and opening new opportunities for marketing and exports.
Economic value and export potential
Obio said Jordan’s date palm sector has become one of the promising agricultural sectors due to its economic value and export potential, as well as its role in creating jobs and supporting the livelihoods of local communities.
This requires an effective partnership bringing together the government, private sector, farmers, cooperatives, national institutions, and development partners, he said.
He added that the FAO remains committed to supporting Jordan’s date palm sector and national efforts to combat the red palm weevil through technical assistance, capacity building, and training. These efforts aim to protect palm trees and promote sound and sustainable agricultural practices.
Obio added that, under the “One Country, One Priority Product” initiative, the organization is supporting the development of Jordan’s dates sector as the country’s priority product by focusing on value-chain analysis, identifying challenges and opportunities, strengthening coordination among stakeholders, and developing a strategy and action plan to encourage investment, build partnerships, and develop the sector over the long term.
Meanwhile, farmer and engineer Hamza Al-Adwan said: “Palm trees are no longer simply trees we plant to eat their fruit. In recent years, they have evolved into a genuine industry and an investment driver that has placed Jordan on the global export map.”
“When we look at our farms today in the Jordan Valley, we can see how this sector has brought about a qualitative transformation and attracted major investments that have changed the face of the region,” he said. “Without this expansion, many of our lands would have become empty. Palm trees have become the cornerstone protecting our agricultural land from disappearing and ensuring its continuity.”
He added: “As farmers in the Jordan Valley, we see every day how this sector has become the main driver of the local economy. It not only provides jobs for young men and women in the area, but also revitalizes entire local communities.”
“However, sustaining this success is everyone’s responsibility. We urgently need to intensify cooperation between the public and private sectors and international institutions to overcome export obstacles and develop value chains, from packaging all the way to global markets,” he added.
According to official figures issued by the Jordan Dates Association and the Ministry of Agriculture, the area planted with date palms in the Kingdom exceeds 45,000 dunums, with more than 750,000 trees distributed across over 500 specialized holdings and farms.
The premium Medjool variety accounts for around 85% of all trees planted in the Jordan Valley and Wadi Araba, taking advantage of the region’s unique climate, while the remaining percentage consists of other varieties, primarily Barhi.
Annual production stands at between 35,000 and 36,000 tons, while Jordan’s share of global demand for Medjool dates has reached 15%.
Exports account for more than 65% of total domestic production, with Jordanian dates shipped to nearly 55 countries, most notably the Gulf states, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. Annual export revenues exceed $60 million.
Resource: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Habis Al-Adwan
