How to Start Dates Farming in UAE from Scratch: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Dates are grown in hot, humid, and dry climates. Dates are native to Middle Eastern countries and Africa because the temperatures in these regions support their growth. In the United Arab Emirates, dates are a significant fruit crop and occupy the country’s largest portion of total arable land. The country’s arid climate supports the production of dates and has made UAE the top 10 date producers in the world. Around 55 species and 160 varieties are grown on more than 44 million date palm trees.

How to Start Dates Farming in UAE from Scratch
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Cultivation and trading of date and date palms have helped UAE achieve significant economic growth. The late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan had given a considerable push to the cultivation of dates, and he had taken adequate measures to expand the area of date farms beyond the oasis where they were traditionally grown. The country is now taking several steps to extend the date farms further and increase production by providing the farmers with modern technologies and machinery.

How to start Dates farming in UAE from scratch

Importance of dates in Arabic Culture

  • Dates are the only source of survival since dates can be stored for an extended period after harvest. Dates provided nomadic Arabian people with the required nutrition for maintaining health and providing strength. One of the ways by which the nomadic people preserved date was by making date syrup/dips (also known as date honey)
  • Cultivation of date was a source of livelihood for Local Bedouin tribes
  • You can prepare sparkling date juices and non-alcoholic versions of date champagne
  • Dates are mentioned in the Holy Book of the Quran 22 times, and it is believed that dates were Prophet Mohammed’s favorite food

Health Benefits of Dates

Consuming dates has numerous health benefits since it has much nutrition. According to the Arabic people, consuming seven dates daily makes a person healthy.

  • Both fresh and dried dates have high nutritional content. Dates are filled with minerals, potassium, vitamins, and antioxidants. Medina/Khalsa dates are especially rich in antioxidants and help reduce stress and anxiety.
  • Dates are perfect for managing blood sugar and blood pressure. Dates have a low glycemic index and high fiber content, lowering the rate at which carbohydrates are absorbed, thereby preventing blood sugar spikes.
  • Dates help in boosting brain activity and function. In adults, dates help in preventing Alzheimer’s. For children, dates improve their memory and learning speed because it contains choline.
  • Dates have high fiber content; hence they improve digestive health.
  • Date palm seed paste is used for treating skin allergies and ague.
  • Extracts from the date palm roots help in curing toothache.
  • Dates help maintain bone mass by lowering the volume extracted from the kidney.

In case you missed it: Dates Farming in the USA: How To Start, A Step-By-Step Guide to Planting to Harvesting

Dates Tree
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Numerous Other uses of Date Palm Trees

  • Date palm leaves are used for making mats, fans, and baskets.
  • Date palm leaves are also used as a fencing material for making rooftops in traditional/mud houses.
  • Date leaves have a high conversion rate because of which they can be used for making biofuel
  • Date pits contain certain elements which help in removing chemicals from water.
  • Dry date palm leaves are used for making brooms.
  • The palm tree’s stalk is firm and used for making floors and roofs in traditional/mud houses.
  • The date palm oil is used in the cosmetic industry to make soaps and other beauty products like eyeliner, kajal, etc
  • The date seed can be used as feed for chicken, horses, sheep, and cattle.

Types of Date trees grown in the United Arab Emirates

There are more than 44 million palm trees that are found in the entire country. The government is taking measures to expand the cultivation area and the volume of dates produced. The government is encouraging the farmers to use the latest technology to grow dates. Numerous varieties of dates are cultivated in the country; however, few varieties are cultivated more since they are native and do not require high maintenance. Some of the most widely grown date palm varieties are:

Phoenix Varieties Date Palms (Fruit Bearing Plant)

Phoenix variety date palm is most commonly found in the region because they can tolerate heat and quickly adapt to the climate. The trees can take a height of up to 20 meters and have vast and thick trunks, but they take around ten years to fully mature and bear fruits

Canary Island Date Palms (Ornamental Tree)

Canary Island Date Palm is the tallest date palm used mainly for ornamentation or planned landscaping. The trunk of these date palm trees is rough and has pinnate leaves with pointed ends.

Pygmy Date Palms (Ornamental Tree)

This variety of date palms is easy to cultivate and is small in height. They reach a maximum height of 10 feet. These date trees are grown near water resources- either along the river or water basins because they need more water than other varieties. These trees are also unsafe to plant in public places because their leaves have spines. This variety is mainly used for ornamental purposes. It bears fruit after a minimum of 5 years.

Other types of date palm grown in the country

Lulu, Chichi, Hallawi, Sultana, Khadraoui, AbouMaan, Khissab, Nabut Saif, Khallas, Barhi, etc.

Different types of dates found in the United Arab Emirates

  • Khola: These dates are caramel flavored and have a smooth skin
  • Fard: These dates have dark maroon skin and contain no fat and cholesterol. These dates also help in weight loss.
  • Lulu: These dates are dark brown and juicy. These have significantly less sugar content. 
  • Baumann: These dates are beneficial to treat upset stomachs and are often used as a snack substitute.
  • Khadrawi: These are brown oval-shaped dates. These have high magnesium, copper, and selenium content and are very good for bone health.
  • Razaiz: These are medium-sized dates and have a balanced flavor. These dates are low in diabetes-causing dates.

Steps for going to start palm cultivation

Any new entrepreneur who wishes to carry out the farming activity (whether cultivation activities, trading of agriculture-related products, providing agriculture consultancy, carrying out the installation of greenhouse services, etc.) in the country first needs to obtain an agricultural license from the relevant authority. The farmer’s agriculture license application must be submitted to the ‘Department of Economic Development (DED). Some of the documents that are required to be submitted to obtain the license:

  • A completed application form.
  • Articles of incorporation (if necessary).
  • Passport copies for all shareholders.
  • Brief descriptions of intended business activities.

In case you missed it: Organic Dates Farming, And Cultivation Practices

Dates
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In addition to obtaining an agriculture license, having a UAE residency visa is compulsory for any agricultural activity. In case of growing dates organically, it is necessary to get a confirmation from the ‘Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA). Then, ESMA conducts a Conformity Assessment; after that, only the new entrepreneur can receive the certificate.

The average cost for opening an organic farm in UAE can range anywhere from AED 10,000-AED to 30,000. This cost is incurred only for completing basic legal requirements and excludes other charges such as land, machinery, and additional raw material costs.

Preparation of land for growing Dates

The date palm tree requires more space to grow than other plants. At least a radius of around 5 feet should be kept between two trees because the plant’s roots spread horizontally (height) and vertically (deep down in the soil). The average size of a palm tree is between 60-80 feet, and the average width is between 20-40 feet. Therefore, making a circular small mud wall division (high enough) to hold the water so the plant can grow faster is essential. The mud border also helps in protecting the plant from grass and weeds.  

The pit in which the plant will be planted should be around two times the root size. In the United Arab Emirates, the farmers engaged in growing dates generally do not grow it from the seeds but instead buy mature date trees because of the following reasons:

  • At least one male and one female date plant are required to grow dates. If the farmer begins to grow the tree with the seeds, he will not be able to identify the male and female trees unless they are grown. The purchased seedlings/tree are cut from the existing tree so that the gender is known.
  • A date palm tree will bear fruit only after becoming fully mature. It takes four to eight years for the plant to grow and bear fruits. The farmers buy these tree cutouts to bring the benefits of increasing date palm.
  • If the trees are planted using seeds, then it is essential to remember that required (not more/not less) care is taken. Without needed maintenance, the kernel will die, and the farmer’s resources will also go waste. Generally, the seed can sprout itself within 14-21 days.

Climatic conditions 

The date palm requires a hot and humid climate to grow (where the nights are also warm). A temperature of at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit is required for the plant to grow. However, it can also survive at temperatures around 120 degrees and in areas where the rainfall is below 3 inches per year. The palm requires an average temperature of around 95 degrees Fahrenheit to pollinate.

Soil requirements

The plant is drought resistant and hence can survive in arid conditions of the deserts. Sandy, loamy, clayey, and saline soil with a Ph level anywhere between 7 to 12 is perfect for plant growth. However, the farmer should keep in mind that soil does not have any hard particles since it will hinder the development of the plant roots. Additionally, the ground should hold the moisture and allow the water to drain at a moderate speed. Puddles of water should not be formed because it hampers the growth of the trees.

In case you missed it: Frequently Asked Questions About Dates Farming (FAQs)

Dates Farming
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Water requirements

Before planting and immediately after instilling the date palm, it is essential to water the plant so that the water is absorbed and reaches the tree’s roots. In addition, watering the plant at this stage helps remove the air bubbles in the soil. Watering the tree during the initial two weeks of plantation is essential to hold the plant firmly in the soil. Once the plant has formed its grip, the farmer should gradually reduce watering to around 2-3 times a week. Before watering the tree again, the water on the soil’s surface should dry out.

The plant can be watered 1 or 2 times a month in the winter. However, in hot weather, a single plant requires around 300 liters of water; this helps the plant in surviving in high temperatures. It is important to remember that overwatering and underwatering the palm tree will eventually kill the plant. The date palm should be watered during the day so that the water pool around the tree is not formed. Factors such as weather and amount of rainfall should be kept in mind when watering the plant.

Adding nutrients to the soil

Like all the other trees, date palm trees also require a certain amount of nutrients to grow faster. Therefore, the farmer should add nutrients to the soil depending on the soil type and components of the earth. Adding fertilizers two times a year is adequate to absorb the nutrients present in the fertilizer fully.

The best time to apply nutrients to the tree is after the winter season (when the climate starts getting warmer) to receive the required nutrients during the growing season. Applying date palm fertilizer is the best to use since it contains nutrients specific to the date palm. The fertilizer used for date palm should have at least 1-2% magnesium and iron and contain small quantities of zinc, copper, and boron.

Pollination 

The date palm can either be male or female. The male tree produces the pollens, and the flowers are grown in the female trees. Therefore, transferring the pollens from the male tree to the female tree is essential to grow date fruit. However, the pollens from the male tree are not naturally transferred from winds or birds (birds are not attracted to the date palm flowers); hence they have to be hand pollinated.

In the United Arab Emirates, the date farmers go up the female trees and tie the pollens from the male tree between the flowers for the fruit to grow. In larger date farms, the pollen is planted between flowers using machines. The date farmer should ensure that some smaller fruits should be removed from the trees before they are ripe.

In case you missed it: Dates Farming Project Report, Cost, Profit Guide

Dates Tree UAE
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Harvesting

A palm tree typically ages 4-8 years to mature and bear fruits. In the UAE, flowering occurs between February and April, and harvesting is done in August and September. Therefore, the farmer should regularly inspect the tree until harvest and apply fertilizers if required. The dates are ready to be plucked when they become brown and soft. Each year a palm tree can produce around 200 pounds of date fruit.

Identification of pests and diseases

The date trees are susceptible and prone to numerous diseases and pest attacks. These pests and diseases can harm the plant badly if they are not treated promptly. Some of the common problems and conditions which attack the date palm trees are:

Red Palm Weevil Pest
  • Description: This pest is challenging to identify at an early stage. As the pest spreads, it starts rotting the trees. The common symptoms of Red Palm Weevil Pest are visible boreholes from which brownish fluid comes out.
  • Treatment/ Prevention: Continuous monitoring of the date palm tree is the only solution to protect the tree from this pest
Lethal Yellowing:
  • Description: This disease impacts the plant in phases and is caused by the Phytoplasma organism. This disease can affect many palm trees since it spreads from planthoppers. Common symptoms of the disease are wilting flowers, leaves turning yellow, pre-mature drops of fruits, etc.
  • Treatment /Prevention: In non-severe cases, root injections can help stop the disease from spreading. However, in severe cases, it is better to remove the plant
Fusarium Wilt
  • Description: This disease is caused by Fusarium oxysporum fungus. The common symptoms of this disease are discolored and wilted fronds. This disease has no treatment; however, farmers can take prevention to save the plant from this disease.
  • Preventive measures such as watering and fertilizing the tree with the right amount (neither excess nor less) and applying pesticides that contain thiophanate-methyl can be done
Leaf Spot Disease
  • Description: The leaf spot disease is a bacterial and fungal infection where spots appear on the leaf. These spots look like water-soaked spots and change color (yellow, black, grey, or brown). This disease can destroy the look of the tree and the fruit.
  • Treatment/Prevention: Copper-based fungicidal sprays can be used to treat the disease. If the date is consumed, only copper fungicides should be used. Additionally, the farmer can remove the infected frond. To prevent the disease from spreading, irrigate the palm tree in the morning so that they do not remain moist the entire night.

In case you missed it: Dates Farming Information Guide

Dates
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Ganoderma Butt Rots
  • Description: This is the most dangerous disease caused by Ganoderma fungus. This fungus can attack both indoor and outdoor palm trees. This fungus prevents water transport to the stem, and the roots rot. The most common symptoms of the disease are weekend trunks, rotted roots, yellow or pale green leaves, stunning new growth, trunk producing a hollow sound when tapped, etc.
  • Treatment/Prevention: Ganoderma pathogens can survive in the soil; hence no new trees should be grown near the affected area
  1. Other standard date palm diseases are Diplodia Disease, Bending Head Disease, Black Scorch Disease, Pink Rot, Sooty Mold, etc.

Conclusion

To summarize, the climate in the United Arab Emirates is perfect for growing date palms because it has cultural and economic significance. The cultivation of date plants has helped the UAE economy to grow by leaps and bounds. The country’s rulers are taking several steps to increase the production of dates. This article details all the necessary steps any new entrepreneur should keep in mind before growing date trees.

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