Planting and Harvesting Seasons and Recommended Crop Varieties in Yemen
1. Fruits and Cash Crops (Mango, Grapes, and Cotton)
Mango
Growing Regions: Tihama, Marib, Taiz, and Lahj.
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Planting Season: December
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Flowering Period: February – March
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Harvesting Season: April – July
Grapes
Growing Regions: Sana’a, Amran, Saada, and Al-Jawf.
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Planting Season: February
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Flowering Period: April – May
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Harvesting Season: July – November
Cotton
Growing Regions: Tihama, Lahj, and Abyan.
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Planting Season: July – August
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Flowering Period: November – December
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Harvesting Season: January – February
Vegetable Crops in Various Regions of Yemen
1. Potato Crop
Central Highlands
(Dhamar, Al-Bayda, Yarim, Lawdar, Mukayras, Rada’a, and Mudiyah)
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Planting Seasons: February and June
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Harvesting Seasons: June – October
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Recommended Varieties:
Diamant, Desiree, Baraka, Radosa, Kennebec, Cleopatra, Maradona, and Local Varieties.
Northern Highlands
(Sana’a, Amran, and Saada)
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Planting Seasons: February, June, September, and November
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Harvesting Seasons: June – October and November – December
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Recommended Varieties:
Diamant
Southern Highlands
(Taiz and Ibb)
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Planting Seasons: August – November and September – November
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Harvesting Seasons: December – March
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Recommended Varieties:
Diamant, Desiree, Baraka, Condor, Alfa, Radosa, Nicola, Girla, Kennebec, Monalisa, Renova, Shepody, Cleopatra, Dragapatruins, Cardinal, and Local Varieties.
Hadramout Valley (Seiyun)
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Planting Seasons: November – December
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Harvesting Seasons: January – March
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Recommended Varieties:
Diamant, Desiree, and Condor.
Eastern Plateau
(Marib and Al-Jawf)
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Planting Seasons: September – November
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Harvesting Seasons: December – February
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Recommended Varieties:
Diamant and Desiree.
2. Watermelon and Melon
Hadramout Valley and Eastern Plateau
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Planting Seasons: December – January
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Harvesting Seasons: April – May
Recommended Watermelon Varieties:
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Charleston Gray
Recommended Melon Varieties:
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Hales Best
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Honey Dew
Coastal Plains
(Tihama and Al-Kawd)
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Planting Seasons: December – January
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Harvesting Seasons: April – May
Recommended Watermelon Varieties:
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Charleston Gray
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Sugar Baby
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Chilean Black
Recommended Melon Varieties:
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Hales Best
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Honey Dew
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Pineapple
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Haramadou
3. Okra Crop
Central Highlands
(Dhamar and Rada’a)
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Planting Season: March
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Harvesting Season: July
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Recommended Varieties:
Clemson Spineless and U.S. Long Green.
Southern Highlands
(Taiz)
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Planting Seasons: February – June
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Harvesting Seasons: May – September
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Recommended Varieties:
Clemson Spineless, Bosa, and Sawani.
Hadramout Valley
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Planting Seasons: May – November
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Harvesting Seasons: December – February
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Recommended Variety:
Glossy Green.
Coastal Plains
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Planting Seasons: September – December
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Harvesting Seasons: January – April
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Recommended Varieties:
Clemson Spineless, U.S. Long Green, Bosa Velvet, Glossy Green, and Local Varieties.
4. Carrot Crop
Central Highlands
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Winter Planting: September – October
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Summer Planting: March – April
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Harvesting Seasons: February – March and July – August
Recommended Varieties:
Nantes, Chantenay, Regol, and Flakker Grossa.
Northern Highlands (Al-Bawn)
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Planting Seasons: January – March
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Harvesting Seasons: May – July
Recommended Varieties:
Nantes and Chantenay.
Southern Highlands (Taiz and Ibb)
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Planting Seasons: October – November
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Harvesting Seasons: February – March
Recommended Varieties:
Nantes, Chantenay, Regol, Muscade, Fancy, Flakker Grossa, Danvers, and Little Finger.
Hadramout Valley and Coastal Plains
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Planting Seasons: October – November
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Harvesting Seasons: February – March
Recommended Variety:
Chantenay.
5. Onion Crop
Central Highlands
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Summer Planting: February – March
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Winter Planting: October – November
Harvesting Seasons:
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August – September
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May – June
Recommended Varieties:
Texas Early Yellow Grano, Bossard, Baftaim, and Red Creole.
Northern and Southern Highlands
Recommended Varieties:
Texas Early, Bossard, Baftaim, Red Creole, Crystal Wax, White Wax, and Baba Perform.
Hadramout Valley and Eastern Plateau
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Planting Season: September
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Harvesting Season: February
Recommended Varieties:
Baftaim, Improved Baftaim 1 & 2, and Bombay Red.
Coastal Plains
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Planting Seasons: October – November
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Harvesting Seasons: March – April
Recommended Varieties:
Texas Early Yellow Grano, Bossard, Baftaim, Red Creole, and Bombay Red.
6. Tomato Crop
Central Highlands
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Planting Seasons: February – April and throughout the year
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Harvesting Seasons: August – October
Recommended Varieties:
Roma VF, San Marzano, Ace 55, Heinz 1370, and others.
Northern and Southern Highlands
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Planting Seasons: February – March and October – November
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Harvesting Seasons: June – July
Recommended Varieties:
Roma VF, San Marzano, Ace 55, and similar cultivars.
Hadramout Valley, Eastern Plateau, and Coastal Plains
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Planting Seasons: Autumn and Winter (September – December)
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Harvesting Seasons: January – April and June – August
Recommended Varieties:
Roma VF, San Marzano, Ace 55, and other adapted varieties.
Planting Seasons in Ibb Governorate
Field Crops
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Wheat: May, June, July, September, and November
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Barley: January, May, June, July, October, and November
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Sorghum: April, May, and June
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Maize: January, February, April, May, June, October, and November
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Millet: May and July
Legumes
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Faba Bean: December, January, April, May, and June
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Peas: July and November
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Fenugreek: July and August
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Lentils: July
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Common Beans: January, February, April, and May
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Cowpea: April, May, and June
Vegetables
Tomato, potato, pepper, okra, sweet potato, cucumber, onion, garlic, squash, cabbage, eggplant, and radish are grown throughout different seasons of the year.
Fruit Crops
Mango, peach, coffee, guava, banana, pomegranate, and sugarcane are generally planted between March and July.
Major Crops in Marib Governorate
Marib is one of Yemen’s most important agricultural regions, with citrus crops representing the largest share of cultivated land.
Citrus Crops
Main Growing Areas:
Marib, Al-Wadi, Harib, Bayhan, Al-Jubah, and Sirwah.
Major Pests:
Scale insects, mites, citrus leaf miners, and citrus psyllids.
Major Diseases:
Gummosis and root rot.
Mango
Growing Areas:
Marib, Harib, and Al-Jubah.
Major Pests:
Stem borers and mites.
Major Diseases:
Anthracnose and powdery mildew.
Date Palm, Papaya, and Apple
These crops are grown in various districts and are affected by pests such as date palm insects, mites, and cotton aphids, in addition to diseases like powdery mildew.
Planting Seasons in Al-Bawn Plain (Amran)
Major vegetable crops include potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, carrots, cucumbers, squash, melons, cauliflower, and leafy vegetables. Seedlings are produced in nurseries throughout the year according to crop-specific schedules.
Field crops include wheat, barley, sorghum, maize, balsam, faba beans, fenugreek, and alfalfa, which are generally planted between March and August and harvested between September and December.
Planting Seasons in Saada Governorate
Major Crops
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Grapes, jujube, and qat are planted in areas such as Al-Jamalah, Majz, Ghuraz, Al-Edeen, Al-Sahn, and Qahzah.
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Tomatoes: First season in January and second season in August.
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Peaches and pomegranates: January and perennial plantings.
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Potatoes: January and August seasons.
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Sorghum: May.
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Wheat and barley: November.
Common Pests and Diseases
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Powdery mildew (February)
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Spider mites (April)
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Fruit rots (May and October)
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Thrips (February and April)
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Scale insects (March and June)
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Aphids (February and March)
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Whiteflies (April)
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Fruit worms (September)
Planting Seasons in Bilad Al-Ta’am and the Southern Coast
Bilad Al-Ta’am
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Red and white sorghum and millet: February – April
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Maize: March and June
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Legumes and cucurbits: March
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Coffee and qat: April
Southern Coast
Major crops include onion, okra, sweet potato, tomato, watermelon, melon, eggplant, carrot, and pepper, grown during both summer and winter production cycles.
Vegetable Planting Seasons in the Tihama Region
Planting dates vary among valleys such as Wadi Zabid, Wadi Sirdud, and Wadi Mawr.
Summer Crops
(February – May)
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Molokhia
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Green beans
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Eggplant
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Tomato
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Squash
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Pepper
Winter Crops
(October – December)
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Strawberry
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Peas
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Garlic
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Onion
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Spinach
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Radish
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Coriander
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Lettuce
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Cabbage
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Leek
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Parsley
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Celery
Year-Round Crops
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Pepper
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Cucumber
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Green beans
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Arugula
Planting Methods
Some crops are established through seedlings, such as tomatoes, peppers, and onions, while others are directly sown from seed, including beans, cucumbers, and squash.
