CACTUS PEAR IN JORDAN - CURRENT STATUS, POTENTIAL AND OPPORTUNITIES

The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the National Center for Agriculture Research and Extension in Jordan, carried out a survey study to investigate the current status of cactus cultivation and potentials to diverse products, moreover, increase production in means of quantity and quality. The study was implemented through visiting the most cultivated areas in Jordan and filling questionnaires with farmers. Then questionnaires were analyzed and this review paper summarizes the most important findings.
The plantation of cactus pear (spiny type) in Jordan started 60 years ago by importing the cladodes from nearby countries. During that period spiny cacti were planted as hedges around homes and fruit tree fields. The production was mainly used for family consumption or sold in the local markets. During the last 20 years the spineless type of cactus was introduced from different countries and planted as sole cropping under extensive cropping system in the semi-arid areas in the middle of Jordan. Nowadays, the governments do great efforts to expand and improve cactus plantation as part of its strategy toward increasing food and feed security by using high water use efficiency crops.
Farmers use one cladode or two attached cladodes during spring (April) or fall (October) to establish new seedlings. The grown plants are arranged as hedgerows 6-10 m apart. The orchards are usually supplementary irrigated 1-2 times per month during the growing season (from April to August), and fertilized by organic manure during the rainy winter and by urea with irrigation during the dry summer. The most important plant diseases are the scale insects and mycoplasm-like diseases.
Farmers pick the fruits by hands (wearing plastic gloves) and package them in 2-6 kg polyester containers with minimum cleaning of spines for local fresh consumption. Nowadays, there is more interest toward improving fruit quality (by proper pruning, thinning, fertilization…) and benefiting from other countries’ expertise in picking, handling, cleaning, and packaging to enhance local fruit consumption and exportation.