King Farouk’s Farm in the village of Tafnis al-Mata’ana, south of the city of Esna in the governorate of Luxor, is one of the oldest and most famous farms in Upper Egypt. It covers an area of 65 acres and grows a variety of crops, including citrus fruits, dates, and mangoes. Mangoes are one of the farm’s most famous crops, grown on an area of approximately 25 acres and producing multiple high-quality varieties.
The farm was established in 1932 during the reign of King Farouk. At that time, it was owned by the royal family, until it became the property of the Ministry of Agriculture after the July 1952 revolution, becoming part of the Agricultural Research Center. Since then, the farm has been managed according to precise scientific mechanisms. Its produce is sold annually at public auctions held for traders wishing to buy the crop in bulk.
High quality despite climate change
Engineer Al-Hussein Youssef, an engineer at the Al-Mataana orchard, says that the farm comprises about 45 acres of citrus trees and 5 acres planted with palm trees. In addition, there are 25 acres planted with mangoes. The mango harvest usually begins on June 20 each year, when early varieties such as Indian, Fonse and Ormans are picked. Other varieties follow in succession.
Youssef emphasizes that the mangoes produced by the farm are distinguished by their high quality and distinctive sweet taste. This is due to irrigation with fresh Nile water, which reduces the salinity of the soil. This is in comparison to desert farms that rely on groundwater with high salinity.
The farm carries out regular pest control and organized fertilization programs. Despite these efforts, climate change in recent years has had a significant impact on production. Sudden changes in temperature during the growing season have led to a drop in production of up to a quarter. This has brought the total quantity to between 120 and 150 tons per year, depending on weather conditions.
Historical reputation and position in local and global markets
For his part, engineer Ezzat Mohamed Abu Al-Majd, the farm’s deputy manager, pointed out that there are mango trees on the farm that are over 90 years old and still bear fruit today. These are old local varieties that were planted when the farm was established. Modern foreign varieties were also introduced and cultivated in 2012 to increase diversity and improve productivity.
He pointed out that a team of engineers specializing in pest control and quality contributes to maintaining crop quality and increasing its market value, with this year’s mango crop reaching a value of around 5.6 million pounds at auction.
The owner of this year’s crop confirms that King Farouk Farm mangoes are among the finest mangoes on the market, due to their distinctive taste and the long life of the trees, which gives them an unmatched flavor. The best varieties are exported abroad, benefiting from their well-known historical reputation and production quality.
He adds: “The mangoes we buy from Tafnis Farm are in high demand in the local market, and we find them popular with major traders in Cairo and Alexandria because they are large and have a natural sweet taste that is not found in mangoes from desert areas. We export some shipments to Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and the shipping documents state that they come from King Farouk’s farm, which in itself increases their value.”
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