The Ministry of Agriculture reported that date farming in the Northern and Southern Red Sea Regions is in good progress.
According to the report from the Ministry so far over 20 thousand date palm trees have been planted in both regions and are in good condition.
Indicating that in the coming 6-7 years Eritrea will be able to produce date fruit beyond local consumption, Mr. Musie Fekadu, head of Bio-Technology at the Halhale National Agricultural Research Institute, said that training programs will be organized to develop the understanding and capacity of date farmers.
Mr. Daniel Tekeste, head of fruits and vegetables farming development in the Northern Red Sea Region, said that the project was initiated by two farmers in 1996 and that currently about 12 thousand date palm trees have been planted by commercial farmers, government institutions and individual farmers in the sub-zones of Ghinda, Sheib, Foro, Afabet and Massawa.
Mr. Mohammed Abdurahman, head of Seeds Development in the Southern Red Sea Region, on his part said that over 8 thousand 800 date palm trees have been planted in the sub-zones of Assab, South Dankalia and Araeta and about 200 farmers are engaged in the activity.
Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea