Economics of date palm agriculture in the Sultanate of Oman, current situation and future prospects.

摘要

Date palm is considered as the first crop in Oman in terms of number and distribution. Extra attention has been given to the tree by farmers and governmental agencies. The religious and social deep-rooted heritage enhanced its economic, nutritional and environmental benefits. In the year 2007 the number of date palms reached about 8 million, producing about 261,000 tons, 13% more than the 2004 production. About 5.1 million trees (64%) produce table dates and 2.9 million produce dates for manufacturing. Date palm covers about 50% of the total agricultural land; representing 83% of fruit trees land in the Sultanate. Oman has more than 250 species of dates, some of good quality, commercial value, maturing date, nature of consumption and usage, diseases' resistance and yield. Some species are better than many well-known internationally; each area has its own best species. Local human consumption of dates was estimated, during 2007, at about 132,000 tons, animal feed was about 53,000 tons. Average annual exports were 9,000 tons. There is a surplus of about 67,000 tons that can be processed for consumption or export, 30,000 tons of which are table dates. Oman has given important attention and care to the tree related to applied scientific research, extension, development and investment. That included specialized research programs, improving production, tissue culture propagation, best agricultural practices, integrated pests management, gene banks, processing, marketing, storage, capacity building, and promoting date palm and its products. The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) put a national strategy to improve date palm aimed to maximize economic, water use, social, and environmental returns on both the household and national levels. It contained an investment attitude based on the optimum benefit from all economical products of the blessed tree, using the up to date techniques available towards sustainable development. Recently His Majesty the Sultan issued an order to plant one million trees. The efforts are continuing to implement the order on comprehensive vision based on what is on the ground and what the future should be. This article presents the role of the Agriculture and Fisheries Development Fund (AFDF) in supporting the efforts of maintaining and developing the tree during the last 5 years and those coming, and economic remarks on the optimum benefits from growing date palm in the Sultanate of Oman and future prospects.