The potential date holds out for Bangladesh

As far as human knowledge goes, date is a unique fruit of the world that can be considered a complete balanced food for mankind. When it comes to calories and nutrition, it is better than many other foods and fruits. The date fruit consists of around 70 per cent carbohydrate. The lion's share of this carbohydrate exists in the form of invert sugar (glucose and fructose), which is very convenient to those who cannot tolerate sucrose. This invert sugar is immediately absorbed in the human body without being subjected to digestion that ordinary sugar undergoes.
Over seven million tonnes of date are produced annually across the world. Approximately 90 per cent of those are consumed locally. This means the remaining 10 per cent are marketed internationally. It is estimated that 20,000 tonnes of date of different grades from various varieties are imported into Bangladesh from Pakistan, Tunisia, Algeria and other countries. This costs the country about US$ 5.0 million per year in foreign currency.
Mesopotamia (in southern Iraq) is believed to be the centre of origin of date palm as a cultivated crop. It is now distributed almost all around the world. The United States in the north hemisphere and Australia in the south hemisphere have also been successfully growing date fruits. It grows in an extreme geographical range from 39°N (at Turkmenistan and Spain) to 34°S (at Petra Bore in Australia). When it comes to climate and soil, Bangladesh is also suitable for date palm cultivation. The north-western part of the country is comparatively dry. This region holds out good potential for the crop. The date palm can grow itself in saline areas as well. It can produce the optimum yield tolerating salinity up to 20 dS/m in the coastal saline areas where the single T Aman is the main cropping pattern. Availability of irrigation water is the main limiting factor for cultivation of Boro rice and other crops in winter. In those ecosystems, local date palm is frequently grown on the perimeter of crop fields as well as in the homestead areas. The canopy structure of date palm is of an eco-friendly type, which marginally affects the growth and yield of field crops. However, the appropriate plantation density for system productivity needs to be investigated. Bangladesh has a vast area of hilly land, which can make the country a fruit basket. By seizing the opportunities available, we can make Bangladesh a successful date producer, even a date exporting country.
In botanical classification, date palm belongs to the Phoenix genus which has several species. Among those, Phoenix dactylifera is the most important elite species that is commercially cultivated for fruit production. Phoenix sylvestris is a wild species and it is one of the closest relatives of Phoenix dactylifera. Phoenix sylvestris is extensively available in Bangladesh, and is grown for juice and "gur" production. Abundance of wild relatives of a plant species indicates the possibility of its well ecological adaptation. Plantation of local date palm (P sylvestris) has been seriously decreasing day by day. Our young-generation farmers are not interested in working that much harder to extract date juice. Furthermore, its low economic profitability discourages people to farm it commercially. So, it is time to think over replacement of local date palm with elite ones.
India is our neighbouring country which had no cultivation of elite date palm in the past. India introduced the species in 2001. In the meantime it has established a modern Date Palm Research Centre in Gujarat. Bangladesh can also follow the country. In Bangladesh, some individuals have been trying to grow date palm on their own. The development of date palm cultivation in Bangladesh requires rigorous research to identify appropriate cultivars and develop associated cultivation practices to maximise the fruit yield and quality. In Bangladesh we have to pass through a challenging journey for commercial production of date. A group of dedicated researchers are needed for this purpose. Their first and foremost assignment would be to establish a germplasm centre. The subsequent activities will be acclimatisation, sex determination, selection of superior quality clones, chemical analysis in the laboratory and release of varieties.
We, the fellows of Mujibnagar Integrated Agricultural Development Project, are working at present in Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga and Jhenidah districts. Doing research on farming systems, we are exploring all possible dimensions to uplift the system productivity for farm people. We have had the opportunity to work at the historical Mujibnagar Complex. Inside the complex, we identified an un-trodden valley covered by unwanted plants and creepers. We then started operating in the untouched area and established a mini-scale germplasm centre. The plantation is now at the vegetative stage. We have surveyed the available gardens and fields in Bangladesh. Consultation was done with the people who have practical experience and with the scientists in the relevant field. We have communicated with researchers and scientists in different parts of the world. From those on-going activities, we have understood the future direction of date palm research in Bangladesh. Mujibnagar Integrated Agricultural Development Project is on the way of completion. We have drawn up a research plan. Now we need institutional support and a prescribed budget. We think if our honourable minister for agriculture comes up and supports us in implementation of our plan, Bangladesh will emerge an export-quality date-producing nation.

The writer is Senior Scientific Officer, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute.
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