Palm Dates Marketing and Economics in River Nile State of North Sudan

Abstract

This research looks to study the palm date products marketing, constraints faced and how the dates business could be promoted in River Nile State of Sudan, in particular, and in other producing countries in the region as general. The study depends mainly on primary data that collected by using structured questionnaires for 50 randomly selected palm dates growers from the State. Secondary data is also employed; they have been collected from various relevant sources. Descriptive statistical analysis has been applied to achieve the objectives of the research. The research unveiled that agricultural marketing system in the area of study suffered from numerous chronic obstacles such as products prices instability, inadequate marketing infrastructure and high cost of marketing. The study concluded that stability and improvement of dates marketing system contribute significantly to farm sustainability and combat malnutrition in the State. However, the poor marketing system in the State restrict dates production as well as the sustainability of this strategic crop. The study finds that the conventional farming system of dates will need to be addressed by gradually shifting to modern one and accordingly provide incentives to make dates more profitable. So, the cooperation between international organizations and governmental institutions should tackle the constraints of dates marketing system in the region.