15% increase in Damask rose harvest in Yazd
Horticulture director of Yazd Jihad Agriculture Organization predicted; This year, 800 tons of Damask rose will be harvested from the orchards of the province, which will increase by 15% compared to last year.
Akbar Sheikh Alishahi stated in this regard: The highest area of cultivation of this plant is related to the cities of Khatam with an area of ??164 hectares, Abarkooh 30 hectares and Mehriz 28 hectares.
He stated that the harvest of 377 hectares of cultivated area of this plant has started in late April in the province and will continue until the end of May this year, noting: Currently, Damask rose is traditionally used in the province’s watering workshops. However, no action has been taken in the production of essential oil and oil, which also has a very good capacity for investment in the province.
Sheikh Alishahi pointed out: if Damask rose is used this year, 2,500 tons of pure rose will be extracted in traditional rose-picking units in the province.
This senior expert on horticulture in Yazd pointed out that the development of planting low-water crops has been on the agenda of the province’s agricultural jihad for several years due to reduced rainfall and groundwater levels. Early yield is a priority of the plans and in this regard, the area under Damask rose will increase to 650 hectares in the province in the ongoing five-year plan.
He pointed to the distribution of 15,000 cuttings with roots and seedlings of Damask rose tissue culture among farmers in the province this year and added: This plant is one of the shrubs that are traditionally mass-produced around orchards and farms.
In this regard, he noted: The government paid 530 million rials in subsidies to applicants for Damask rose cultivation and development to distribute this number of Damask rose cuttings in the province.
Sheikh Alishahi continued by stating that last year 27 applicants were introduced to Amel Bank to obtain a loan of 130 billion Rials for the cultivation of medicinal plants. Is paid annually.
He reminded: This facility, which is paid with one year of respiration and one year of participation, is for cultivating 15 cultivars of perennial medicinal plants including saffron, Damask rose, lemon, thyme, peppermint, sage, borage, fennel, chicory, cumin. And other crops that are cultivated in rainfed and irrigated.
The director of horticulture of Jihad Keshavarzi of the province said: this year, 30 hectares in Abarkooh city are dedicated to planting Damask rose, which is an increase of five hectares compared to last year.
The official continued: In implementing the policies of the resistance economy and in the framework of fulfilling the scripts of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution in implementing the slogan Production, support, removal of barriers , this year farmers and regional officials are seeking to double its cultivation to the current level. .
According to the public relations of the Jihad Agricultural Organization of Yazd Province, out of a total of 112,000 hectares of arable land in Yazd, 32,354 hectares (equivalent to 29%) are agricultural and 79,646 hectares (equivalent to 71%) are dedicated to horticultural and greenhouse crops. And the major part of farmers’ income is related to horticulture and cultivation of products such as pistachios, pomegranates, apricots, saffron and medicinal plants.
606 thousand tons of crops, 255 thousand tons of horticultural products, 550 thousand tons of greenhouse products and 392 thousand tons of livestock products as a result of the efforts of 117,800 farmers, ranchers and farmers in the production of agricultural, horticultural, greenhouse and livestock products in Yazd province Is.