The recent heat wave registered in the Jordan Valley, with temperatures hitting record levels of more than 40 °C, has taken a toll on the area's banana plantations. Many banana growers in the northern Jordan Valley fear that the continuing heat wave could cause further damage and large financial losses.
Despite the precautionary and preventive measures taken by banana growers, the continuing rise in temperatures has rendered them useless, according to growers.
Producers stress that lack of water in the region, especially in the summer, has exacerbated the problem, as a large proportion of growers rely on water dams and agricultural ponds, affected by drought, to irrigate their crops.
Banana trees require large amounts of water and their cultivation in the Kingdom of Jordan is limited to areas of the Jordan Valley, which enjoy a suitable climate to help them grow.
In recent years, many banana plantations in the area have been affected by frost damage, although growers complain that the compensation and actions taken by the concerned authorities were ineffective.
Weather forecast experts in Jordan warned of extreme heat in the summer of 2015, with temperatures rising to previously unseen levels.
For his part, Abdul Karim Shahab, Head Agriculture Engineer of the Jordan Valley, urged growers to continue taking appropriate measures to protect banana plantations from damage caused by high temperatures, such as continuous irrigation and the covering of the crops from direct sunlight.
He stressed that "the agricultural season in the region is nearing completion, so there is no longer large areas of crops likely to be affected, with the exception of bananas."
Source: alghad.com