Balqa, April 2 (Petra) -- The National Agricultural Research Center has entered into a joint research agreement with Val Consulting and Administrative Services to study the impact of temperature on Medjool date storage, as part of efforts to improve post-harvest management and reduce losses.

The project will examine how different temperature levels affect the physical and chemical characteristics of dates, as well as their susceptibility to insect and fungal damage, with the aim of identifying optimal storage conditions and preserving product quality over longer periods.

Director General of the center, Ibrahim Al-Rawashdeh, said the agreement reflects a broader push to strengthen collaboration with the private sector and expand applied research targeting key challenges in the agricultural sector, particularly in post-harvest handling.

He added that the study is expected to contribute to the development of scientific protocols for cold storage facilities, alongside practical guidelines for farmers, helping to improve quality standards and enhance the competitiveness of Jordanian Medjool dates in domestic and international markets.

Al-Rawashdeh also highlighted the center’s role in supporting agricultural sustainability and food security through specialized research initiatives.

For her part, Executive Director of Val Consulting and Administrative Services, Lamia Al-Dabbas, emphasized the importance of applied field research in advancing the Medjool date sector and improving storage practices.

The agreement underscores growing efforts to integrate scientific research with private sector expertise to strengthen agricultural value chains and support export-oriented production.

//Petra// RZ