[13 December 2004] Report by Ebraheem Al-Gonaid.

The fourth annual carnival of the Palm Trees and Nabk is scheduled to be organized in the city of Shebbam Hudhramout from Dec.18 to 20. The function is arranged by the governorate's leadership in coordination with the ministry of agriculture and irrigation.

The activity aims to assess the situation of the couple trees and address the problems facing.Erlier statistics made by the agriculture and irrigation ministry office in Wadi Hudhramout indicated that the total number of the palm trees were estimated at approximately (1,5) million.

But over the recent decades that figure has reduced . consequently , the dates production had been decreased from (11) thousand and(232) tons to (5) thousand and (711) tons during the period 1973 ,1988. There were more than (300) sorts of the best quality of dates used to be grown in Wadi Hudhramout.

Unfortunately, the largest portion of those species is extinct now. Some (50) types are left merely.Scientific studies attributed the shrunkage of palm trees total number to several reasons such as drought and water shortage, scarcity of palm shoots and the lack of experienced manpower.

A relatively improvement was achieved over the recent few years due to a number of scientific researches and measures were carried out in a bid to develop the palm trees growing. Most importantly is the wadi Hudhramout agricultural project .
Thereupon, dates production in the governorate of Hudhramout had increased from (6, 608) tons to (7,788) tons during 1993 - 1997.

Palm Trees Blights.
There are many blights hit the palm trees such as insects, worms, rodents and birds in addition to some weeds. Dr. SaeedAbdullah Ba-Ankod, an entomologist at Aden university, stated that palm trees blights in our country have not been counted yet. But insect vale endemic is the most serious sort which inflicts the palm trees in the region of Wadi Hudhramout. As he said.

Dates Backing& Marketing.
Dates is used in several foodstuff industries on top of which molasses, treacle, liquid sugar and yeast. A factory of dates backing was set up in the city of Syuan in December,1980 with the purpose of marketing the dates that produced in Hudhramout and producing dates up to standards as well as bringing about a national foodstuff industry based on dates as raw material.

SABA