Over Twice the Cultivation Area Increase of Rosa damascena in North Khorasan Province

Referring to the commencement of Rosa damascena harvest season from the rose gardens of North Khorasan province, the head of Horticulture Department of Agriculture Jihad said, “With 45 hectares increase, the cultivation area of this flower has been more than doubled to 96 hecares, this year.”

Mohammad Ali Sharikian said, “Although Faruj County is the pioneer in the cultivation of Rosa damascena, we are now endeavoring to expand the cultivation area in suitable lands and regions.”
He stated the number of saplings planted are between sixteen hundred to two thousand per hectare and added, “Between fifteen hundred to two thousand Rosa damascena shrubs are cultivated per hectare, and considering the amount of irrigation water and environmental conditions from the fourth year on, three and a half to four tonnes of fresh flowers are harvested per hectare.”
By pointing out that in this province, fresh flowers currently have a market of seventy thousand Rials per kilo, Sharikian went on to say, “Each shrub can provide between two to two and a half kilo of fresh flower.”
This head of Horticulture Department of North Khorasan Agriculture Jihad indicated that twenty two tonnes of this flower are produced, he then added, “Since this province has an excellent climate for the cultivation of Rosa damascena and other medicinal plants, this year, we have distributed Rosa damascena saplings and expanded its cultivation area. Apart form that, having started the medicinal plants processing plant in Jajarm, its infrastructure has been prepared in this province.”
After referring to the fact that the expansion of Rosa damascena cultivation area will provide employment, Sharikian went on to say, “This plant is one which is resistant and can adapt to environmental factors, and with respect to the importance of water and the limitation of its resources in this province, Rosa damascena is a plant with little need for water and greater possibility for expansion of its organic cultivation area.”
He said, “Rose water and essential oil are produced from Rosa damascena. It can be effective in the exports of this province and that it can cause a trade surplus. these products are also used in food, medicine, health and cosmetic industries.”
He indicated that this product is preserved within the first three years, the fourth and fifth year it is economic and the sixth and seventh year, rejuvenation is done then they germinate, and the best ways to propagate this flower, is the use of plant and root cutting or cloning by observing the necessary health requirements.
According to him, the harvest of Rosa damascena in this province starts from the beginning of May.