Apple Crop, a significant source for income in Sweida

Sweida, SANA – The apple tree ranked first among the fruitful trees in Sweida as its total number reached at 3.120 million, among them 2.1 million trees, most of them are rainfed.

The total area of the apple trees reached at 14.800 hectares out of 38.138 hectares of the fruitful trees in Sweida.

Director of Sweida Agricultural Department Bassam al-Jarmaqani told SANA reporter that the production of apple for the current season in al-Sweida is estimated at 49.273 tons compared to 34.277 tons for 2013.

Al-Jarmaqani added that the increasing interest of cultivating apple tree in the province is due to the economic feasibility and the appropriate circumstances for its cultivation.

He affirmed that the apple trees were planted in Daher al-Jabal, Orman , Saleh, al-Mushanaf, al-Sahwah and Miamas mountainous areas whose height exceeded more than 1,400 meters altitude.

Head of Storage and Marketing Department in Sweida Fadi Masa’ud, for his part, said that the department has planned to receive about 1.300 tons of apples for the current year, adding that it has completed all the necessary requirements, including the refrigerating units and the plastic boxes.

Head of the apples and vine researches center in Sweida Baian Mezher said that the center has accomplished the first “Atlas” as a scientific and practical proof for varieties of apple in Sweida.

“The atlas” includes about 60 of the best globally spread varieties.

H. Zain/Mazen