Minister of Agriculture of the International Council: Iraq has 600 varieties of dates and leads the world trade sites

18/18/2019 16:26

Minister

(Baghdad: Al-Furatn News) Minister of Agriculture Saleh al-Hassani said that Iraq has 600 varieties of dates and leads the world trade sites for dates.
This came during a speech on behalf of the date-producing countries at the meeting of the International Council of Dates in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
"Al-Hassani stressed during the meeting that food security is one of the most important challengesfacing the international community. Therefore, the countries of the world seek to enhance their food security by maximizing local production by optimizing the use of natural and physical resources," the ministry said in a statement. And human resources, as well as various opportunities to maximize food imports to promote access to safe and sustainable food. "
He added that agriculture is one of the most important activities that contribute to the national economy and that the development of the agricultural sector works to combat unemployment and reduce the volume of imports, as well as that the local product is safer and reassuring to the health of consumers, noting that most of the diseases of the age related to food and consumption pattern Food.
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Iraq has worked to achieve food security in order to meet the needs of citizens by increasing the national production of a group of strategic crops through the launch of development programs for crops (wheat, barley, maize, rice and vegetable seeds local) Directly or through feeding farm animals and a range of animal products.
The Ministry of Agriculture pointed out that the ministry focused on the development and care of palm trees through the semi-final elimination of the dopas insect that affects palms, which recorded its first injury in 1922 and continued to destroy palms and affect the production of dates in quantity and quality over 90 years, The insect with plant extracts and pesticides is environmentally friendly through the implementation of the control of insect pests (spring and autumn) after the control of chemical pesticides implemented on the spring generation only because in the autumn generation dates are mature or semi-mature and this prevented control in this generation to avoid the existence of residues For pesticides on dates.
He stressed the importance of supporting the private sector by providing a good environment for the date industry and encouraging investment in manufacturing industries. The date palm cultivation and date production dates back to the oldest and most famous of what Iraq has known, indicating Iraq's possession of 600 varieties of dates. Varieties, such as zucchini, halvah, cassava, kestawi, and zebra. The zohdi category is the first in agriculture and date production. It is considered one of the most important commercial items for its nutritional and industrial uses. It is characterized by high sugar content and low moisture content. Its nutritional, industrial and commercial uses, adding that the Arab countries are at the forefront in the preparation of palm trees and the diversity of their varieties.
Al-Sahni described the establishment of the International Dates Council at the initiative of Saudi Arabia as an "important step" to exchange Arab experiences in the palm and dates sector. He pointed out that the diversity of the Arab countries will give ample space for the production and maturity of dates at long intervals throughout the year. Global trade will be more extensive when organizing marketing. In order for Arab dates to have a greater share of global trade, the date quality control program, which includes agricultural practices, post-harvest or harvest operations, as well as good practices to ensure food safety Which will achieve quality control and thus gain confidence in the dates and products and ensure a market for disposal.
The Minister of Agriculture thanked the Director General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development for his invitation to attend the International Council of Dates. He also thanked the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia for his warm hospitality and hospitality.

alforatnews.com