Irbid, June 7 (Petra) – The wheat harvest for National Seed Multiplication Project (SMP) began on Sunday at Maru Agricultural Station in Irbid governorate, affiliated with National Agricultural Research Center (NARC).

The event was attended by crop expert Dr. Muhammad Ayad from the Saudi National Center for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Development, alongside a number of researchers and agricultural engineers.

Inaugurating the harvest, Dr. Ibrahim Rawashdeh, NARC Director General, said results of the current agricultural season are "promising and reflect the success" of the Jordanian center's research programs in developing wheat varieties and improving their productivity and adaptability to different environmental conditions.

He noted the average yield per dunam (0.25 acres) of some research varieties reached approximately 400 kilograms, while more than 70 tons of wheat are expected to be produced this season.

This quantity is a positive indicator that enhances opportunities for expanding the cultivation of superior varieties and supports efforts to achieve national food security, he pointed out.

On its policy, he stated NCAR "prioritizes" the seed multiplication project as a "strategic" initiative aimed at providing farmers with improved, high-quality seeds, which would contribute to increased productivity and enhanced efficiency in the agricultural sector.

Rawashdeh noted NCAR is working to leverage outputs of scientific research and its "advanced" research infrastructure to support "pioneering" agricultural projects, while continuously upgrading research stations to ensure "optimal" research and development outcomes.

During the event, attendees toured the research fields and observed the cultivated varieties.

The participants were also briefed on the implemented research projects and their preliminary results, which demonstrated the "outstanding" performance of several promising strains and varieties in diverse Jordanian agricultural environments.

//Petra// AG