Jerash, July 8 (Petra) -Faisal Nursery in the Jerash Governorate is preparing over 1 million seedlings as part of a national plan to enhance Jordan's vegetation cover and achieve environmental and agricultural balance across the Kingdom.

In remarks to "Petra," Faisal Nursery Director Bahjat Sawalmeh announced work is currently underway to prepare approximately 600,000 carob seedlings as part of a national project.

Sawalmeh added that this effort aims at expanding cultivation of carob varity due to its economic and environmental importance, in preparation for establishing factories to manufacture carob-based products in the future.

To date, he announced the total production has exceeded 750,000 seedlings, most of which are forest and fruit trees, and the target quantity is expected to be completed before next November, the date set for the start of sales to farmers and agricultural institutions.

Sawalmeh noted more than 40 contract workers are working to prepare the seedlings, in accordance with the "best" specifications to meet needs of the local agricultural market.

The seedlings have "high quality and resistance" to climate change, offering farmers viable alternatives compared to traditional varieties that are no longer suitable in terms of economic return or durability, he pointed out.

In addition to carob, he said this year's production includes various types of forest trees, mainly cypress, pine, sycamore, and eucalyptus, as well as other fruit trees, primarily olive, fig, pomegranate, and pistachio varities.

Sawalmeh stated the forest seedlings are distributed "free of charge" to all governorates, while the fruit-bearing trees are sold at "low" prices to encourage farmers.

The nursery, he stated, has become "an accredited" training center that accepts students of agriculture colleges and recent alumni, providing practical training in modern agricultural techniques, mainly soilless agriculture, hydroponics, and fish farming.

On its partnerships, he noted the nursery implemented a "pioneering" project with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) worth $400,000, which includes three systems: 5 types of hydroponics, a hatchery for producing fish fingerlings, and aquaponics, which relies on nurturing fish and using their water to irrigate plants.

These systems, he said, represent "innovative, practical" solutions to address challenges of water scarcity and provide "new" economic opportunities in the agricultural sector by training farmers and agricultural engineers in "efficient, resource-saving" production methods.

The nursery, which was established in 1963, is located south of Jerash governorate on the international highway on a total area of 500 dunums, of which 300 dunums are designated for agricultural production.
//Petra//AG

08/07/2025 17:05:17