This paper investigates the potential for growing date palms in north Sudan. Sudan ranks eighth within the list of the dates-producing countries. Dates-palm plantation in Sudan goes back to as early as 4000 B.C. The production of date palm in the region faces numerous hindrances affecting, namely low levels of yield, high cost of production inputs along with misuse of resources, product’s price volatility, lack of marketing infrastructure and high cost of dates marketing. The number of date palm trees in Sudan is estimated at eight million while annual production of dates is approximately 320,000 tons, directed to both local consumption and exportation. This study depended mainly on primary data collected through a structured survey for interviewing fifty randomly selected respondent tenants. Secondary data was also utilized. Partial budgets were constructed for palm dates production and Linear Programming was used to model the optimal use of resources within the prevalent crop mix. The results showed that date the palm sub-sector could contribute significantly to the farming systems’ sustainability and nutrition in the country. However, cooperation with international organizations, on one hand, and between private and public sectors, on the other hand, is needed to address the obstacles facing dates' production.

Keywords: challenges, production, date palm, Northern Region of Sudan