Date palm in Pakistan

Salman Ata

Date palm in Pakistan

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is possibly the most ancient cultivated tree in the world (Zaid and Wet, 2002). This tree is considered as an important constituent of farming system in dry and semi-arid regions and is suitable for both small and large scale farming (Khushk et al., 2009). Furthermore, the date palm is one of the greatest producers of food per hectare (Zaid and Wet, 2002). The high nutritional composition, profitability in addition to environmental advantages makes date palm an excellent food for the future generation. The fruits of the date palm (dates) have a high percentage of carbohydrate (total sugars, 44-88%), fat (0.2-0.5%), protein (2.3-5.6%), pectin (0.5-3.9%), dietary fibre (6.4-11.5%), salts, at least fifteen minerals and six vitamins. The flesh of dates contains 0.2-0.5% oil, while in seed it is 7.7-9.7%. Both flesh and seed contain fatty acids. Moreover, the seeds contain aluminum, cadmium, chloride, lead, sulphur and oleic acid in various proportions. In many ways, dates may be considered as an almost ideal food and provide a wide range of essential nutrients and potential health benefits. The date palm has the capability to improve the diet of a considerable number of people in areas where dates are eaten as a food rather than as a delicacy (Al-Shahib and Marshall, 2003).

1.1     Date palm in Pakistan: an overview

            Pakistan is facing many problems, among these uncertainty in food production and rising population are important. It is difficult to fulfill the food requirement of rising population of the country with traditional crops. In this situation date palm cultivation is a good option to improve the food and economic status of many people in Pakistan (Hassan et al., 2006).

            Pakistan is among top producers of dates (PHDEB, 2008).  During the year 2007-08, Pakistan exported 88,451 tones of dried dates and 4,687 tones of fresh dates and earned $36.033 million from export of both fresh and dried dates (EPB, 2009). Pakistan, on an average, export 10 % of total dates production and 90 % is either consumed locally or wasted (PHDEB, 2008). Table 1.1 shows year wise area and production of dates in different provinces of Pakistan.  

Table 1.1: Area ("000" hectares) under cultivation and production ("000" tons) of date palm in all provinces of Pakistan

Year	Punjab		Sindh		KPK		Balochistan		Pakistan
	Area	Prod.	Area	Prod.	Area	Prod.	Area	Prod.	Area	Prod.
1995-96	11.1	92.5	19.7	31.5	0.9	5.9	42.2	403.6	73.9	532.5
1996-97	11.1	92.2	20.1	32.1	0.9	6.0	42.4	404.1	74.5	534.4
1997-98	11.1	93.7	20.6	34.0	1.0	6.3	42.4	403.5	75.1	537.5
1998-99	11.1	95.4	20.8	33.9	1.0	6.5	42.6	404.3	75.1	540.1
1999-00	11.1	89.5	22.2	244.6	1.0	6.6	42.6	239.2	76.9	579.9
2000-01	11.4	97.9	23.1	266.0	1.0	6.6	43.1	242.0	78.6	612.5
2001-02	11.4	94.1	23.4	288.9	1.0	6.7	42.6	240.6	78.5	630.3
2002-03	8.5	62.1	25.3	317.1	1.2	8.1	42.9	237.7	77.9	625.0
2003-04	5.7	41.7	25.5	151.6	1.3	8.6	42.3	224.9	74.8	426.8
2004-05	5.8	42.7	26.4	318.2	1.4	9.3	48.1	252.2	81.7	622.4
2005-06	5.8	42.6	26.7	192.8	1.4	8.9	48.1	252.3	82.0	496.6
2006-07	5.9	43.2	29.3	201.0	1.4	10.0	48.2	172.1	84.8	426.3
2007-08	5.9	44.3	32.0	253.1	1.4	10.4	50.8	249.7	90.1	557.5

Source: Govt. of Pakistan, 2009

In Pakistan, a significant increase in area was reported from 1992 - 93 to 1993 – 94, when area increased from 101.81 thousand acres to 180.88 thousand acres, while for the remaining years this increase was slight over time.

It is generally assumed that production of any crop should increase with rise in area under cultivation. In case of Pakistan, however, production of date palm indicated a somewhat decreasing trend during some years and an increasing trend for other years (Hassan et al., 2006).

About 300 date varieties exist in Pakistan (Arifeen, 2009). Pakistan’s commercially important date varieties include Aseel, Karbalai, Fasli, Muzawati, Hillawi, Begum Jhangi, Dashtiari, Sabzo, Jaan Swore, Kehraba, Rabai and Dhakki. Aseel of Sindh, Dhakki of Dera Ismail Kkan and Begum Jhangi of Balochistan are best in terms of demand and popularity. These varieties can compete with world’s popular date varieties in the international date market (PHDEB, 2008).

Although Pakistan is one of the leading producers of dates yet its date industry is unable to process a reasonable production of especially dried date for export. It has the potential to become the largest source of foreign exchange earner in the world from dried date. The chances for value addition are very bright if Pakistan introduces new modern technique in management practices and improve a lot in date packing, packaging, storing, marketing and advertising (Arifeen, 2009).

1.2     Date palm usage pattern

Dates have a great importance as a staple food as they contain a high amount of carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. The fruit is generally related with health foods. Date consumption is very high during the month of Ramadan. Similarly, the fruit has enormous significance on the occasion of Divali, Christmas and such festivals in other religions. Dates are used in sweets, confectionery, chocolates, baking products, preservatives, salads, sauces, and breakfast cereals. Dates also have many industrial uses (PHDEB, 2008).

The fruit and trunk of date palm is utilized in local industries, which supply packing materials for local marketing of fruits and vegetables as well as for many other uses. The tree and fruit by-products offer an extra income (Hassan et al., 2006). Various parts of date tree have been used for preparation of animal feed, construction materials, household goods, and paper (Anwar, 2006).

The leaves of date palm are used for making huts, mats, manual fans, rugs, bread dishes, baskets, different types of containers for domestic use and also provide packing material for fruits and vegetables. Dried branches are used as sticks, brooms and fuel. Rope and large hats are made from old leaf sheath. Fruit stalk is used as brooms and for kite making, whereas the trunk of date palm is used to make pillars for huts, roofing of small houses and is also utilized for construction of aqueducts and bridges. All remaining parts of date palm are used as a fuel (PHDEB, 2008).

1.3     Marketing system of date palm in Pakistan

Agricultural marketing in Pakistan is not sophisticated and there is a series of intermediaries between producers and consumers. This large market chain along with lack of storage facilities result in spoiling of 30-40% fresh produce before reaching the consumer (PHDEB, 2008).

 Like other horticulture crops, dates trade is with the private sector. However, Government assists the system by offering physical infrastructure particularly wholesale markets and communication, market promotion, market intelligence and regulatory measures to remove the difficulties in business operations (PHDEB, 2008).

Date producers often rely on relatively high cost informal credit sources and advances from date contractors because they face many difficulties in marketing their produce. They have little access to the credit and other facilities in wholesale and assembly markets; and are treated as temporary clients (Khushk et al., 2006).

1.4     Potential of dates in ensuring food security and poverty reduction in South Punjab

Agriculture is one of the most important drivers of growth in Pakistan. But, in spite of being an agricultural country, food insecurity is a main threat to Pakistan. The incidence of poverty in rural areas is higher than the urban areas and there exist differences in Human Development Index of different provinces. Table 1.2 shows the rank of provinces by urban/ rural and overall Human Development Index (HDI).

           Table 1.2: Rank of Provinces by Urban/Rural and Overall HDI

Province........................	HDI.....	HDI Ranking
Punjab	0.557	1
Sindh	0.54	2
KPK	0.51	3
Balochistan	0.499	4
Sindh (Urban)	0.659	1
Punjab (Urban)	0.657	2
KPK (Urban)	0.627	3
Balochistan (Urban)	0.591	4
Punjab Rural)	0.517	5
KPK (Rural)	0.489	6
Balochistan (Rural)	0.486	7
Sindh (Rural)	0.456	8

                                 

                                                                

 Source: Hussain, 2003

Punjab has been divided into three regions: Northern Punjab, Central Punjab, and Southern Punjab (ADB, 2002). The living standard of the people within the Punjab is different. The status of living standards, poverty, and social indicators generally follows a North-South pattern in Punjab: income and non- income indicators of welfare are better in the North, followed by Central Punjab, and worst in South Punjab; similarly, poverty is lowest in the North and highest in the South of Punjab (Government of the Punjab, 2005).

The main date palm growing areas in South Punjab are Multan, Muzaffargarh and D.G. Khan (PARC, 2009). The climatic and soil conditions are severe in most of the date palm growing areas. Moreover, the socio-economic conditions and food security status in these areas are not satisfactory (SDPI, 2009).

As dates are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, they have immense importance as a healthy food as well as a desert fruit. The tree provides food, fuel, shelter and is used in manufacturing of different handicrafts (PHDEB, 2008) which indicates the importance of date palm to reduce food deficiency and to ensure livelihoods sustainability in resource poor areas

The rich composition of date palm makes it a valuable dietary product which can improve the nutrition of many people around the world. Beside the fruit, date palm has many other household, commercial and industrial usages. In remote areas, by-products of date palm are used extensively for both household and commercial purposes, which provide substantial returns to rural people. Modern technological improvements increase the possibility of industrial usages of date palm such as papermaking, insulating material, and particle board. Furthermore, the tree has a great cultural and traditional importance in many date producing countries and with the increase of population in these countries, the demand of dates is expected to increase in the future