Agriculture in Al-Jouf
Al-Jouf District has the most fertile soil and the most underground water supplies beside its suitable climate, which is between the desert, and Mediterranean climates and this made the district a suitable area to produce various kinds of corps and made the agricultural industry to be number one
Agriculture in Al-Jouf is as old the district itself.
Remains of petrified trees olive trees, and fruit as an evidence
The area is as old as history it self and it remains as it was an agriculture land of high fertility and sufficient amount of water.
Ancient Agriculture in Al-Jouf
Farming was difficult and exhausting task due to the effort done largely depending on human and animals, digging wells was not an easy task since it need a great effort and a long time to reach water, Also fetching water from wells by using animals (As-Swani). In spite of all these, agriculture was the main industry for inhabitants and the main source for living.
Agriculture was largely depending on growing dates and some cereals as wheat, barley millet some vegetables and fruits like grapes, fig, apricots, and peach.
(Jailer Balariel) who visited the area 1845 deal give a credit to Al-Jouf fruits as it is cof a better testing and quantity of production than the one he saw in Palestine and Al-Sham
Modern Agriculture
Agriculture had the great deal of development – the year 1368 A.H. has witness the entry of the first water Pump then the branch of the ministry of water.
And Agriculture was established in 1379 A.H. and farms were distributed among the citizens.
After that an agreement with (F A O) was signed to establish constructions and facilities for the center of range and animal resources development research in Al-Jouf and providing the international experiments needed for operating the center with the cost estimated around SR 88.000.000 for 5 years from April 1981.
This Center is considered to be the only one in the Kingdom serving the neighboring countries as well as Saudi.
In 1384 A.H. the Agriculture bank branch was opened to give agricultural loans grants to the farmers.
The amount of grants given in the area from 1404 to 1417 A.H. tattled more than S.R.3.000.000.
Today the area has become one of the most important agriculture areas in the kingdom and to the great number of farmers and great agricultural Schemes
The number of farms found in Sakaka only is 7600 farms and 2016 schemes in 1417 A.H. the cultivated area is about 460.000 hectares distributed among the governs, cities and villages of the area in six big agricultural companies located in Busaita covering an area estimated about 121600 hectares and these specialized companies are: -
Al-Jouf Agriculture development company (JADCO) which investing 6.00.000 (Donam) achieved in 1997 profits estimated SR 19.600.000.
The company is considered to be the best of the agriculture ones.
Working in the Kingdom since it leads a constant and uprising development towards the top.
The national agriculture development company which is investing more than 600.000 donam was able to vase it’s profits with over than %200 compared with it’s profits in 1996, this company owned a factory for dairy product with production capacity of 1.000.000 liters per day
Al-Rajihi agricultural company investing 150.000 Donam.
It owned over than 8.00.000 fruit trees and dairy factory.
There are some other companies like Al-mlkerich and Al-kherief, these companies export great deals of its products inside and outside the kingdom also there are a schemes for livestock the first signs of industrial and agriculture development had shown up hence there are 3 olive oil factories, dairy factories and a factory for sugar production (under construction).
Busita has changed from a desert into green land.
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Crop production statistics in Al-Jouf tracing the agriculture development in the area
(Production in Tones)
crop |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
Cereals |
131883 | 168590 | 73646 | 70301 | 70159 |
Wheat |
41465 | 32995 | 18436 | 19267 | 28930 |
Vegetables |
31475 | 41852 | 55940 | 56783 | 71148 |
Forage |
17054 | 19194 | 20662 | 81660 | 79186 |
Clover |
11929 | 16747 | 17925 | 18370 | 18419 |
Fruits |
75596 | 81913 | 93651 | 94868 | 97145 |
Dates |
23218 | 22571 | 25254 | 25144 | 25303 |
Acidic |
829 | 3079 | 3138 | 3414 |
بعض أنوع الحمضيات |
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ا لري بواسطة التنقيط |
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Animals productions statistics
Kind |
93 |
94 |
95 |
96 |
97 |
Livestock | 1504625 | 1749153 | 1441368 | 1222812 | 1375107 |
Sheep | 288511 | 550187 | 517259 | 565167 | 407794 |
goats | 25646 | 26930 | 27334 | 26539 | 27460 |
References