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Presentation on Date Palm (Saudi Khajur) Cultivation in Bangladesh

DAM MFP

Krishibid Md. Niamul KabirSenior Program Officer (Agri.)

MFP, DAMDecember 28,2014

History of Date Palm(Saudi Khajur)

DAM MFP

Date palm is one of the oldest cultivated plant(Lee,1963,Riad 2006)

May even have been cultivated as early as 5000 B.C.(Popenoe,1924)

Dates are also mentioned more than 20 times in the Qur’an and 50 times in the Bible

Dates have been cultivated since ancient times, probably as early as 6000 BC.

History of Date Palm(Saudi Khajur)

DAM MFP

Date palm were one of the first plants cultivated by man

The first written records of date palm being grown and harvested are from about 5000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia (current day Iraq) along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

Date palms were also used 6000 years ago near Ur in southern Iraq in the construction of the temple of the moon god

Geographical Distribution

DAM MFP

Old World (Near East and North Africa

New World (American Continent)

Distribution according to Latitude:

Distribution according to Altitude:392 m below sea level to 1500 m above with an altitude range of 1892 m

date palm distribution are between 10°N (Somalia) and 39°N (Elche/Spain or Turkmenistan)

Number of date palms in the world: # date palms 100 million, 30 Countries and production 2.5-5.0 MT fruit per year/Country

Old World and New World diff. Countries:

DAM MFP

Name of Country Name of Country Name of Country

Algeria, Bahrein, Somalia, Spain Niger, Pakistan

China, Egypt, Sudan, Oman Peru

Iraq, Israel, Tunisia, Turkey Qutar

Kuwait, U.A.Emirates Cameroon

Libya USA, Yemen Gaza, Iran

Mexico Mauritania, Saudi Arabia

Jordan, Kenya Morocco

Geographical Distribution (Cont.)

Scientific Classification

DAM MFP

Kingdom: Plantae

Group: Spadiciflora

Tribe: Phoeniceae

Order: Arecales

Family: Arecaceae

Sub-Family: Coryphyoideae

Genus: Phoenix

Species: Phoenix dactylifera

Varieties of Date Palm

DAM MFP

More than 3000 varieties all around the world

Different Commercially Important date varieties

Amari

Bahri

Hayani

Medhjout

Deglet Nour

Hadrawi

Zahidi (Medjhool,Deglet nour, Barhi)

Varieties Distribution of Date Palm

DAM MFP

SI.No

Name of Country

No.ofVarieties

01 Iran 400

02 Iraq 370

03 Tunisia 250

04 Morocco 244

05 USA 196

06 Egypt 26

07 Egypt & Sudan 22

Nutrient Value of Date Palm

DAM MFP

The flesh of dates contains 60 to 65 % sugar, about

2.5 % fibre, 2 % protein and less than 2 % each of fat,

minerals, and pectin substances.

Date fruits are also a good source of iron, potassium

and calcium, with a very low sodium and fat content.

In addition, moderate quantities of chlorine,

phosphorous, copper, magnesium, silicon and sulphur

are also found in the date fruit

Botanical Description of Date Palm

DAM MFP

Vegetative Organs:

Root System: Pri, Secondary & Tertiary

Trunk (Stem): 1-1.10 m Circumference

Leaves: Normal life 3-7 years

30-140 green leaves/adult date palm

10-30 new green leaves/date palm/year

Leave length 3-8 m (4m average)

Total # leaflet 120-240

Fibre and Spines

Botanical Description of Date Palm (Cont.)

DAM MFP

Reproductive Organs (Dioecious Plant):

Inflorescences/ Flowers

Fruit:

Weight: 2-60 g

Length: 18-110 mm

Width: 8-32 mm

Color: Yellow to black

Seed

Climatic Requirement of Date Palm

DAM MFP

Dates are grow in very hot and dry climates, and are

relatively tolerant of salty and alkaline soils

Date palms require a long, intensive hot summer

with little rain and very low humidity during the period from pollination to harvest

Dates are widely grown in the arid regions between

15o N and 35o N and it survive in a wide temperature up to about 50-60o C

Date palm can grow from 12.7-27.5o C and sustaining

short periods of frost at temperature as below -5o C

The ideal temperature for the growth of the date

palm, ranges from 21-24o C

Vegetative stage: 10o C

Flowering stage: shade temperature more than 18o C

Fruiting stage: temperature more than 25o C

Date Palm of Saudi Arabia

DAM MFP

Saudi Arabia produces 17% of world’s dates

Around: 1.10 million ton and 157000 ha.

# Date palm trees more than 25 million

160 Famous types Date palm

The world second largest dates producer

Export around 5% dates produce

Date Palm of Madinah Munawarah

DAM MFP

World famous & delicious dates produce

Species: # 70

Cultivated Varieties:

Lubna, Marium, Kalmi Mudina

Salabi tamar, Sukhal B Dana

Amari, Barni Mudina

Sugai, Sukri and Ajwa

Top Ten Producers of Date Palm in World

DAM MFP

Name of Country Production (‘000 MT)

Egypt 1470

Iran 1066

Saudi Arabia 1050

Algeria 789

Iraq 650

Pakistan 600

Oman 270

United Arab Emirates 250

Tunisia 190

Libya 170

Source: FAO, 2012

Scenario of Date Palm in Bangladesh

DAM MFP

District Upazila Year

Mymensingh Bhaluka 2001

Bogra Dunat, Nandigram 2008

Magura Shalikha, Sreepur 2005, 2007

Natore Boraigram 2008

Sherpur Sadar

Moulovibazar Kulaura

Jhenaidah Horinakunda

Feni

Rangamati Kaptai 2008-09

Scenario of Date Palm in Bangladesh Cont.

DAM MFP

Saudi Khajur start:2001

Land:1.5 acres

Seedling Produce: 7000

First Saudi KhajurFarmer Md.Abdul Mutaleb in Bhaluka

Fruiting Plant: 35

Scenario of Date Palm in Bangladesh Cont.

DAM MFP

Place: Puragachi, Shalikha, Magura

Land:1.0 acre

Plant No.: 1000

Farmer: Md. AlauddinHossain

Start Time: 2007

Scenario of Date Palm in Bangladesh Cont.

DAM MFP

Place: Jhenaidahsadar, Horinakunda

Land:50 Biga

Plant No.: 300,000

Farmer:#48

Expected Yield: 10000 MT

Start Time: 2007

Scenario of Date Palm in Bangladesh Cont.

DAM MFP

Place: Raikhali Agri.ResearchInstitute, Kaptai, Rangamati

Start Time: 2008-09

Importance of Date Palm

DAM MFP

Nutrient Supply

Fibre Food/Fruit

Employment Create

Fallow land use

Environmental Hazard Remove

Foreign Currency

Hilly land Use

Medicinal Use

Benefits of Date Palm

DAM MFP

Unripe dates as fertility foods: To help the conceive

Date flower: Improve the chances of conceiving

Dates during and after pregnancy: dates are rich in

potassium, glycine and threonine, activate prolactin, the milk hormone and promote the flow of milk

Dates restore health: dates are rich in vitamin A & C,

fibre, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, copper, magnesium and manganese

Cancer and heart disease

Date fruits to provide relieve from:

Sore throat, colds, fever, throat & chest infection

Bronchial asthma, poisonous effect

Date Palm Products Development

DAM MFP

Pastry, bakery, confectionery products & beverages

Sandwich spreads, party snacks, salad

Breakfast foods, dietetic baby foods

Sweets & snacks, chocolate, date butter or cream, date

jam, ice-cream, date juice, liquid sugar, protein yeast, vinegar, wine, alcohol, organic acids

Animal feed, soil amendments, panel board, industrial

raw stock

Traditional use of Date palm products :

Trunk, leaves, reproductive organs

Date palm sap, pharmaceutical use & shade

Scope of Date Palm in Bangladesh

DAM MFP

Soil

Climate:

Temperature

Fallow land use

Hilly land use

Roadside and canal

Cultivation Procedure of Date Palm

DAM MFP

Land Selection

Land preparation

Seedling Collection

Hole Preparation

Sowing/Planting

Fertilization

Plantation

Cultivation Procedure of Date Palm (Cont.)

DAM MFP

Inter Cultural Operation:

Mulching

Irrigation

Propagation

Pruning and Thinning

Harvesting/Fruit Collection

Mature fruit bagging

Constraints/Challenges/Problems of date palm cultivation

DAM MFP

Low quality palm cultivars

Poor farm management

Pest & disease control

Inadequate IPM Control

Pollination

Pollution

Harvesting

Constraints/Challenges/Problems of date palm cultivation (cont.)

DAM MFP

Processing

Marketing

Shortage of national qualified and trained staff & Labour

Insufficient research and development

DAM MFP

Different type of dates

DAM MFP

Wild date palm in Bangladesh

DAM MFP

Thank you for your kind Patience