- Project name: Al-Akramain Company for the Production of Hybrid Prickly Pear – Organic, Non-Traditional Farming
- Project Owner: Ahmad Kareem Abdullah Al-Maaytah
- Tel no: 0797987877
- Link:https://www.facebook.com/share/1L2uNKey7X/
Details: the project consists of a farm for hybrid prickly pear (Opuntia cactus), which is considered a non-traditional agricultural practice. The cactus pads (cladodes) were imported from the Syrian Arab Republic. What distinguishes this hybrid prickly pear is that it differs completely from the prickly pear currently grown in Jordan, commonly known as the local cactus.
Among its most important characteristics is the wide variety of fruit colors, including green, yellow, white, red, burgundy, pink, eggplant purple, and orange in various shades, in addition to its excellent taste. The fruits and pads are completely spineless. It is also characterized by high productivity and strong resistance to agricultural pests and harsh climatic conditions.
The product is an export-oriented crop: hybrid prickly pear. Organic hybrid seedlings with multiple colors and flavors were purchased. This variety is drought-resistant, disease-resistant, highly productive, and has a distinctive fruit size that can reach up to 250 grams per fruit. The farm will be prepared to obtain organic farming certification, aiming to become the first certified organic hybrid prickly pear farm in Jordan.
The hybrid prickly pear will be cultivated as an organized and pioneering project, for the first time in Karak Governorate and the Southern Region, on an area of 13 dunums out of a total of 200 dunums, with the possibility of expansion to the full 200 dunums. The land is owned by the project owner and is located in the Hijfa area / Adar / Karak Governorate.
The project will apply an organic farming system through technical cooperation with organic agriculture experts at the National Agricultural Research Center, as well as certification bodies, in order to obtain organic farming certification. This hybrid variety is considered one of the most desirable export varieties in international markets due to its distinctive color, taste, shape, and size.
These varieties were developed through hybridization and selection of desirable traits, including drought tolerance, disease resistance, high productivity, fruit size, shape, flavor, and color.
Prickly pear cultivation is considered a high economic value project due to the diversity of its products and the ability to utilize all parts of the plant.
A wide range of products can be obtained, such as fresh fruit—whose demand is increasing in both local and global markets—juices, jams, and prickly pear seed oil, which is considered one of the most expensive oils in the world.
Prickly pear seed oil is regarded as a high-value product in the global market, with the price of one liter reaching approximately USD 1,300, making it one of the most profitable agricultural products.
