Dates Palm Farming in Malaysia: Current Challenges and Future Baraqah

This chapter aims to provide an overview of the dates palm farming in Malaysia. Besides, this paper also discussed on issues and challenges, prospect and future “baraqah” for dates palm farming sector in Malaysia. As new farming sector in Malaysia, facts sheets and general farming information are readily available and easily accessible to dates palm farmer. However, as the sector is rapidly growing, the lack of research in dates palm farming, production and prospect in Malaysia could represents a serious limitation to the long term viability of the sector. As results, several important issues and challenges for dates palm farming in Malaysia are derived such as dependency of imported dates, insect pest attack, climate and lack of expertise in dates palm farming. Besides, several prospects and future ‘baraqah’ for dates palm farming in Malaysia such as fulfilling local consumption trends, cultivation nature, dates palm health and disease, establishment of the National Dates Palm Centre and Waqf dates palm are proposed.