Launching of the date picking season in Jericho and the Jordan Valley, with expectations of production of 29 thousand tons

Jericho - Ofoq News - The season of picking dates began in Jericho and Al-Aghwar Governorate today, Wednesday, from the farms of the Arab Construction Project Association in the east of the governorate.

In his speech, the Governor of Jericho and the Jordan Valley, Hussein Hamayel, affirmed his pride in Palestinian dates as a strategic national product that enjoys high quality and a distinguished reputation in global markets, stressing that the palm sector constitutes an essential tributary to the national economy, an important source of job opportunities, and a symbol of the Palestinian farmer’s steadfastness and adherence to his land in the face of the occupation’s attempts to seize land and resources.

He stressed the need to maintain law and order and safeguard the interests of citizens, farmers and workers in this sector, stressing that protecting the national product is not a slogan, but rather a shared responsibility that requires integrated efforts between the Ministry of Agriculture, the governorate, the Farmers and Exporters Union, the Chamber of Commerce, and relevant companies and institutions.

Hamayel expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Committee to Combat Date Smuggling, as an essential part of the system for protecting the national product, praising the cooperation that contributed to addressing a number of problems facing the sector, and stressing the need to continue joint work and follow up on issues that concern farmers.

He also stressed not allowing settlement products to enter Palestinian markets, and the necessity of adhering to regulations and instructions aimed at protecting farms, enhancing local production, and preserving the quality of Palestinian dates and their reputation in foreign markets.

He explained that the governorate will continue to follow the needs of farmers and work to overcome obstacles facing them, in a way that contributes to developing the sector and enhancing its competitiveness, thanking everyone who contributed to supporting the date sector and protecting the national product.

For his part, Minister of Agriculture, Rizq Salimiyeh, confirmed that the start of the date picking season represents an important milestone in the Palestinian agricultural sector’s journey, noting that this comes despite the systematic attacks on farmers and agricultural lands, in a scene that reflects the Palestinian farmer’s insistence on continuing production and clinging to his land.

He explained that dates are on the throne of Palestinian agricultural exports after olives, pointing out that expectations indicate that production during the current season will reach about 29 thousand tons, with the export of approximately 20 thousand tons, with an estimated value of about 500 million shekels, while investments in the sector reach about two billion shekels, and the sector provides approximately 7,000 job opportunities, of which women constitute about 85%.

Salimiyeh pointed out that there are about 81 palm farms in Jericho and Al-Aghwar Governorate, which include approximately 360,000 trees, stressing that the production of Palestinian dates is witnessing a continuous increase, and that the Ministry is working to support farmers, provide technical guidance, enhance the quality of production, and expand marketing and export opportunities, in cooperation with local and international institutions.

Salimiyeh stressed the importance of integrating official, civil and private efforts to facilitate procedures, overcome obstacles facing farmers and investors, protect the national product and enhance its presence in global markets.

In turn, Wissam Shaheen, a member of the Board of Directors of the Arab Construction Project Association, stressed the importance of the association in embracing the Palestinian farmer and supporting his steadfastness, praising the efforts of the governorate and the Ministry of Agriculture in protecting agricultural lands and enhancing national production.

For his part, Tayseer Al-Hamidi, head of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Jericho and Al-Aghwar, confirmed that the date harvesting season represents a full year’s harvest of work and effort, noting that Palestinian dates are exported to 37 countries around the world, appreciating the efforts of farmers, companies and institutions working in the sector.

For his part, the head of the Cooperative Society of Palm Farmers, Muhammad al-Qawasmi, and the representative of the Farmers Union Association, Jouda Asaid, stressed the importance of continuing cooperation between official and private institutions and farmers to support the palm sector, protect the Palestinian product, improve the quality of production, and enhance the resilience of farmers.

It is noteworthy that the Jericho and Al-Aghwar Governorate is one of the most important date production centers in Palestine, due to its climatic conditions suitable for palm cultivation, and the farms and agricultural investments it contains that contribute to supporting the national economy, providing job opportunities, and strengthening the steadfastness of Palestinian farmers and their adherence to their land.

On the sidelines of the event, in which representatives of official institutions, Fatah Regional Secretary Nael Abu Al-Assal, agricultural and economic activities, a number of farmers and date companies, representatives of the Farmers Union, palm associations and companies working in the date sector participated, honoring the field committees to estimate date production for the year 2026.