Amman, Oct. 4 (Petra) -- The date industry has attracted more than $500 million in investment and exports about 65 percent of its production, with annual export revenues projected to reach JD150 million as newly planted areas enter full production, according to Jordan Dates Association Chair Anwar Haddad.
Speaking at a Jordan Economic Forum session titled "Jordanian Dates: Promising Opportunities and a Driver of Growth," Haddad said the Kingdom has about 1 million date palms across more than 700 farms covering over 56,000 dunums, with annual production exceeding 37,000 metric tons.
More than 85 percent of the palms are Medjool, about 10 percent are Barhi and the remaining 5 percent comprise other varieties, he noted.
The sector provides more than 10,000 jobs, over 40 percent of them held by women, and has 15 processing and packing facilities with combined annual capacity of 20,000 tons. Average per capita date consumption in Jordan stands at about 4 kilograms annually.
Haddad estimated current annual exports at about JD60 million, with Medjool accounting for the bulk of shipments, while demand for Barhi dates is growing.
Figures presented during the session showed the scale of the sector’s expansion over the past quarter-century. Production rose from 1,321 tons across 2,640 dunums in 2000 to 10,417 tons across 18,400 dunums in 2012, reaching about 37,000 tons across 56,000 dunums in 2026.
Exports followed a similar trajectory, increasing from 720 tons worth $473,000 in 2001 to 6,603 tons valued at $19.8 million in 2018 and 20,083 tons worth nearly $72 million in 2024.
Haddad traced the commercial cultivation of Medjool dates in Jordan to the early 1990s, when the first farms were established in the central Jordan Valley. The trees began producing commercially around 1999 and 2000, followed by significant expansion over the next 25 years.
Date farms now extend across the northern, central and southern Jordan Valley and the Baptism Site area, as well as Azraq and Aqaba. Haddad attributed the characteristics of Jordanian dates to the Kingdom’s climate and growing conditions, particularly in the Jordan Valley, where Medjool dates ripen naturally on the palm.
He noted that the sector’s development was supported by scientific research, including a 1995 study that assessed suitable date varieties and recommended Medjool because of its compatibility with Jordan’s growing conditions. The industry is also supported by national standards for Jordanian dates and the 2020-2030 National Strategy for Date Palm Cultivation.
Modern production practices include advanced irrigation and fertilization systems, pest management, pollination, fruit thinning and bagging, as well as modern sorting, packing and packaging technologies and internationally recognized quality standards.
Haddad also pointed to growing use of digital farm-management technologies, including satellite systems, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) monitoring, aerial imagery, remote farm management, smart irrigation and fertilization, soil and leaf sensors, smart insect traps and pest-detection systems. Artificial intelligence is already being used in grading, sorting and packaging, he added.
Labor accounts for about 70 percent of production costs, according to Haddad, who said greater use of technology could reduce costs while improving quality and efficiency.
More than 60 percent of palm holdings in the Jordan Valley are medium-sized, while farms exceeding 250 dunums account for only about 2 percent. Haddad noted that significant new cultivation in Wadi Araba, largely dependent on groundwater, is not yet reflected in these figures.
Turning to market prospects, he identified quality, appearance, taste, packaging and price as key factors influencing consumers, particularly as global competition in Medjool production intensifies.
The sector nevertheless faces challenges related to water availability and quality, the cost and availability of skilled labor, pests and diseases, unplanned expansion, agricultural policy uncertainty, marketing and international competition.
Haddad identified growing global demand for dates and organic products, increased awareness of their nutritional value, food security concerns, technological advances, renewable and solar energy, climate awareness and changing consumer preferences as key opportunities for future growth.
Jordan Economic Forum Deputy Board of Trustees Chair Omar Malhas described the date industry as one of the Kingdom’s promising sectors, noting its production capacity and potential for further investment and export growth.
The session concluded with a discussion on expanding access to international markets and addressing water, labor and marketing challenges to strengthen the competitiveness of Jordanian dates.
//Petra// AJ
