Dates Farming

Uploaded on : March 2019

Introduction

 

Date palm trees are grown for its fruit and are the oldest cultivated tree fruits. The fruits known as dates are sweet and highly nutritious fruits. The major producers of date palm trees are countries in the Middle East and other countries in Africa while Iran is the largest exporter. Date palm trees are cultivated in dry arid zones having irrigation facilities. Date farming can have a successful cultivation in regions that have prolonged hot dry summer, moderate winter climatic conditions with no rain during the fruit ripening period. Date trees grow about 65 to 70 feet (20 to 21 m) in height. The trunk is cylindrical and columnar growing straight with the same girth to the top. Date palm is a dioecious tree which means the male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers are born on two different palm trees. The fruits are one to four centimeters long with 2.5 cm diameter, oblong in shape. The fruits are one-seeded and are fleshy. The trees are well adapted to desert environmental conditions. They can survive extreme temperatures and water scarcity. Fruit yield gets affected by fruit cracking and checking, due to moisture presence, hence low humidity is preferred at the fruit development stage. Date farming can be carried out on a wide range of soils with varying amounts of soil mineral nutrients and organic matter. The trees can tolerate saline soils. The trees are found to grow in all the five continents. Most farmers follow traditional methods in date farming with no proper tree and fruit bunch management. This leads to the production of low fruit quality yield. Application of fertilizers, pruning, and fruit thinning will yield quality fruits which will have great market value. Now a days, many people are showing interest in Date palm cultivation in India. Already there are many Dates Orchards established in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.

 

Scientific / Botanical Name of Dates

 

The scientific name of Date Palm is known as Phoenix dactylifera coming from the palm family Arecaceae.

 

Dates Varieties / Dates Cultivars

 

There are more than 3,000 varieties that grow around the world. The varieties have been developed for thousands of years. Those date varieties that have desirable characteristics have been propagated over centuries. Some of the most loved date varieties and in market demand are:

Kimia Dates: The fruit of this variety is black colored, creamy, and luscious. This date variety is popular in consumption as it melts in the mouth, has properties that improve health, even diabetic people can also relish.

Sagai Dates: Color of the fruits is not consistent can range between medium brown to very light brown. The dates are wrinkles but with no flake and it is mild in sweetness. This variety is also in demand for consumption.

Deglet Noor Dates: The fruits of this variety are oblong in shape. It comes in the light as well as dark brown color with huge seed. The fruits are a semi-hard and chewy type.

Medjool Dates: Trees start producing fruits from five years onwards. The trees start to yield about 10 kg in the early years and produce about 80 kg from the tenth year onwards. The fruits are large in size, soft texture, and rich flavored. Medjool variety fruits are good for diabetic people as it is sugar-free while rich in other essential minerals

Halawi Dates: The tree produces fruits that are caramel-honey flavor and are medium in size. The variety is tolerant to humidity.

Zahdi Dates: This is one of the oldest varieties. The fruits are medium size, cylindrical in shape, and light-brown in color. The fruits are rich in Vitamin A, C, and B. They are a semi-dry and chewy type with good shelf-life. The trees have a big trunk and fast growing. The variety is one of the heavy bearing varieties with less tolerance to high humidity.

Khastawi Dates: Date fruits of this variety are syrupy and small in size. It thrives well in desert conditions. The trees are large and vigorous. The fruits are resistant to humidity.

Barhee Dates: Also known as Barhi dates is a high yield variety. The tree has a large trunk and the tree is of medium height. The fruit stalks are long, wide and heavy. The date fruit is light amber to dark brown in color and cylindrical in shape. Ripe fruits are soft with thick flesh and rich flavor. The tree yields about 6 to 20 bunches of dates per tree and each bunch can weigh between 8 to 15 kg.

 

Climate Requirement for Dates Farming

 

Climatic conditions such as long summer days, high temperature, and mild winters without frost are suitable for date farming. These conditions help trees for optimum growth, flowering, and fruiting. The average minimum temperature is 20° C to survive and grow. At the time of pollination, a temperature of about 35° C is required. Date trees can tolerate cold winters, but with no frost and light rain. During flowering and fruit setting a low relative humidity, an absence of rain and hot temperatures with warm nights is required.

 

Soil Requirement for Growing Dates

 

Dates can be grown in all kinds of soil and there are no specific soil requirements. Date palm trees are tolerant to soil salinity. Soil with pH 8 to 11 is ideal soil condition. For best growth and higher fruit yields, soils such as sandy loamy soils with good moisture retaining, aeration, and proper drainage are preferable. Soils having calcium carbonate in it should be avoided for date farming.

 

Propagation of Dates Plants

 

Date palms are propagated by seed, offshoots and vegetative propagation. Propagation by seed brings up plants not knowing if they are male or female palms until they start flowering. Seeds from best varieties are planted in plastic bags in the nursery. Young seedlings should be transplanted to the farm field during monsoon season. This will be an expensive method of propagation involving time and labor.

In offshoot propagation, the offshoots are separated from the mother tree and transplanted to the main field. Offshoots appear during the early years of the tree life, an adult tree from 4th or 5th year onwards will borne offshoots once in a year. On a good maintenance of soil conditions, irrigation, and fertilization a tree can produce two offshoots in a year. To protect the terminal bud, remove the older leaves with proper care. A mixture of farmyard manure, sand, and earth are applied six months earlier at the base of the offshoot for separation. A single cut should separate the offshoot from the mother tree at the union. Copper fungicide should be applied at the exposed parts of the mother plant and the offshoot and offshoot base are treated with IBA 1000 ppm to stimulate rooting. Offshoot propagation is recommended as it is easy and involves less labor, time, and cost.

 

Spacing of Dates Plants

 

Separated offshoots or best fruiting female seedlings that reach maturity are transplanted to the main fields. Pits of 1 x 1 x 1 m pits are dug in the main field at a spacing of about 7 x 7 m to 10 x 10 m. The pits are left exposed to sunlight for two weeks before offshoots are planted. Prepare a mixture of 20 kg farmyard manure, methyl parathion 2% dust, 2 kg castor cake, sand, and sawdust should be well mixed and applied in each pit. Care should be provided to offshoots from heat and cold, daily irrigation for about five to six weeks is provided until proper roots are developed and thereafter alternate days. Male plants about 3 to 5% are planted at equi-distance between the female plants in the farm. Pits that are dug at a spacing of 8 x 8 m are recommended and ideal that will accommodate about 156 trees per hectare.

 

Irrigation Requirement for Dates Growing

 

Irrigation is provided to young shoots alternate days. Regular irrigation must be provided through drip irrigation in a date farm. Though the trees grow in dry regions and tolerate drought yet proper irrigation will help in a proper growth of the trees on the farm. Trees that are properly hydrated will produce a good harvest. Avoid excess irrigation as it will damage the roots. The old date palm trees require irrigation once in a week during summer and once in two weeks during winter.

 

Manures and Fertilizers in Dates Farming

 

Sufficient organic manures or farmyard manure is applied at the time of land preparation. Each pit planted with an offshoot is covered with a mixture of organic manure, earth, sand, and other materials. Application of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous are applied at regular intervals, and the dosage should be decreased as the plants grow older.

 

Intercultural Operations of Dates Orchard

 

Weeds: Weeds steal all the nutrients, minerals, and moisture in the soil hampering the development of seedlings and young plants as they grow. Weed removal tools and herbicides will hamper the growth of weeds and control the weed menace in the farm.

Pruning of Dates Plants: Pruning should be carried out on a regular basis. Old and diseased leaves when removed timely will make the date farm to look fresh and healthy. Pruning in date farming also consists of removing of spines, and removal of undesirable inflorescences. Usually, the number of leaves on the date tree decides the quantity of held inflorescences. Removal of excess leaves will affect the fruit growth, quality, and maturing of the fruits will be decreased.

Pollination of Date Plants: Individual date palm trees are either male or female, hence hand pollination is recommended for a successful harvest. Hand pollination means placing of strands from the male flower over the stigmas of the carpels of the female flowers for pollen grains. To be successful in date farming one has to master the skilled art of knowing when the female flowers will blossom and be ready to receive pollen grains. For every 100 female matured trees, three to five male trees are sufficient.

Fruit Thinning of Dates: There are three methods for fruit thinning: (a) removing few strands from the bunch center, (b) reducing strand length by cutting, and (c) removing a number of fruits on each strand. Pruning of fruits will improve fruit quality both in size and in nutrition. Pruning helps in yielding high-quality fruits which will fetch good market value. It is found that in a bunch by removing one-third of strands from the center yielded high-quality fruits.

 

Pests and Diseases in Dates Farming

 

Pests:

White Scale: The pests cause severe damage to young plantations that are two to eight years old. The adults and nymphs suck the sap from midribs, leaves, and even from the fruits. Though the pest attack is not a severe attack on the plantation, but fruits that are infected are not marketable that will reduce the income. Mineral oils can be used to reduce the pest infestation.

BouFaroua: This is also known as Goubar mites. These mites are common in all date palm growing places. The larva of these mites feeds on fruits causing considerable damage to the yield. The mites lay eggs on the fruit stalks and near the calyx area. The larva feeds on fruits causing the fruit drop-off. Infected dates will have less watersoluble substances, bringing down the fruit quality grade. To control the mites, dust the date bunches with 100 to 150 grams of sulphur per tree.

 

Diseases:

 

Bayoud Disease: This is a fungal disease affecting offshoots, young date palms, and even adult trees at their base. This disease causes considerable damage to the date farm and when neglected will attack the whole date plantation. The trees that are affected, the leaf of the middle crown starts becoming ash grey in color. The leaves whiten from bottom to top at one side, followed by whitening from top to bottom on the other side of the leaves. Infected tree roots turn reddish in color. The disease spreads in the date plantation through irrigation. The disease can be controlled in the early stages through soil treatment. Destroying the infected tree by uprooting and incinerated is the best method to stop spreading the disease. Treat the soil with methyl bromide or chloropicrin and replanting is avoided.

Black Scorch Disease: This disease is also called Fool's disease caused by a fungus (Ceratocystisparadoxa). Affected trees will have black scorch on the leaves, trunk gets rotted, inflorescence blight, and also rotting of buds. When terminal buds are attacked it causes serious damage and some trees whose trunk is affected will lead to the tree's death. To control this disease, proper sanitation is the first step followed by a pruning of affected tree parts. Apply copper-based fungicides on the pruning cuts.

Omphalia Root Rot: It is also known as Decline disease. Affected date trees show premature fronds death followed by retardation and cessation of growth. The other characteristics include necrosis and destruction of roots. To control this disease, spray Brestan or Dexon about four doses once in two weeks.

 

Harvesting in Dates Farming

 

Date fruits start appearing from three or four years onwards. Depending on date variety the tree starts producing fruits and some may start from sixth year onwards. Fruits can be harvested depending on market demand. Some will harvest when the fruits are immature, some may harvest when the fruits are half ripened and some may harvest when the fruits are fully ripened. Some may even harvest fruits that are well past maturity stage for dried and shriveled fruits. With good growing conditions and under best farming practices each tree can produce a yield of about 100 to 125 kg of fruits per tree. Though the date trees take time to produce fruits in the early years but will bear fruits for the next 50 to 70 years.

 

Cost and Profits in Dates Farming / Dates Farming

 

Economics in Dates Farming:

Fixed Capital Investment Cost on Hatchery:

 

S. No	Particulars	Cost (Rs)
1	Female Saplings 75 @ 3,000/-	2,25,000
2	Male Saplings 4 @ 600/-	2,400
3	Labour for pits digging and planting	3,950
4	Fertilizer and Chemicals	4,350
5	Irrigation (drip)	25,000
6	Farm Labourer @ 6000/-	72,000
7	Miscellaneous	2,500
Total Capital Investment		3,35,200

 

B. Operational Cost from Second Year onwards

 

S. No	Particulars	Cost (Rs)
1	Fertilizer and Chemicals	8,700
2	Farm Laborer @ 6000/-	72,000
3	Miscellaneous	2,500
Total Capital Investment		83,200

 

C. Income from Dates Farming

 

S. No	Particulars	Cost (Rs)
1	3rd-year yield30kgx75@100/-per kg	2,25,000
2	4th-year yield 50kgx75@100/-per kg	3,75,000
3	5th-year yield 100kgx75@100/-per kg	7,50,000
4	9th-year yield 200kgx75@100/-per kg	15,00,000

 

Tips for Growing Date Palm Trees

 

•  Apply an organic manure in early spring.

•  Fertilizers rich in potassium will be added advantage to the trees.

•  Avoid frequent and over irrigation.

•  Excess moisture in the soil can inhibit growth.

•  Avoid weeds growing around five feet radius from the tree base.

•  Proper, timely pruning of leaves and thinning of fruits is recommended.

•  Fruit clusters or bunches should be tied to adjacent branches for support.

•  Cover the fruit clusters with net or bag to protect from birds and pests.

•  In commercial farming, tissue culture plants do not yield to the best as offspring shoots or seed grown trees.

 

Dates Farming Material Procurement or Reference

 

K.G. Date Palm Orchard
634/2, MurugamPalayam,
Vanjipalayam (RS), (Opposite Vanjipalayam High School 1KM)
Mangalam-641 663 Avinashi (TK),
Tirupur District, Tamil Nadu,
Mob: 91 98651 50040, 60,

Saliah Dates Krishnapuram
(Po) Ariyakulam (Vill), Dharmapuri (Tk)
Dharmapuri-635202 Tamil Nadu
Mob: 91 9442337717 /91 9442337787

 

Contact for more information

Information Manager
TIMEIS Project
E-mail: timeis@ficci.com