Despite being the world’s largest producer of dates, with an annual output of 1.87 million tons, Egypt exports no more than two per cent of its total production, a fact that leaves ample room for expansion in the coming years.
Egyptian date exports come to $90 million annually, accounting for only one per cent of Egypt’s total agricultural and food exports, according to the Agricultural Export Council (AEC).
Saudi Arabia, the second-largest producer worldwide with 1.64 million tons annually, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), consumes 80 per cent of its produce locally, which also means that Egypt has an opportunity to increase its exports.
Egypt currently focuses on producing premium-quality varieties of dates such as medjool, sukkary, khalas, and ajwa.
“Expanding the cultivation of semi-dry date varieties, which are in high demand globally, is seen as a key strategy to boost exports. Currently, these varieties make up only 20 per cent of Egypt’s total date production,” Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz, a fruit and date palm specialist at the National Research Centre, told Al-Ahram Weekly.
He called for establishing a dedicated council for date exports that would be responsible for developing strategies for increasing export volumes and meeting rising global demand.
Hani Fouad, an Egyptian date exporter, believes the sector has significant potential for growth, noting that Egyptian date exports are still marginal despite increasing international interest in Egyptian varieties, particularly medjool dates.
The global date trade hovered around $2.4 billion in 2024, with an annual growth rate of 20 per cent.
Fouad said that Egyptian date varieties face tough competition in the international market from Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. However, the widespread boycott of Israeli products following the war on Gaza could give Egyptian date exports a chance to grow.
Israeli date exports are usually repackaged under non-Hebrew labels to mislead Muslim and pro-Palestine consumers, but increased awareness of these practices has pushed many buyers to seek alternatives.
Fouad also noted that Egypt has a competitive advantage because of its trade agreements with different countries.
Despite the fact that Egyptian medjool dates are priced at $8 per kg, $2 higher than Jordanian dates, Egyptian dates are still attractive in markets such as Turkey, thanks to the duty-free advantage provided by the Egypt-Turkey Free Trade Agreement.
Jordanian dates face a 30 per cent import tariff in Turkey.
While Saudi dates dominate the Egyptian market due to their superior quality, Egypt’s oases regions, including Bahariya, New Valley, Siwa, Toshka and Badrashin, produce high-quality dates that compete well in international markets, Fouad said.
Morocco is currently the top importer of Egyptian dates, followed by Indonesia, Turkey, and Russia.
“Small investors in the date sector require a clear agricultural roadmap outlining the best date varieties suited for different soil types. Additionally, proximity to processing facilities could help reduce production costs and enhance competitiveness in global markets,” according to Fouad.
He said that the cost of investment in date farming remains high, however.
“Setting up a single well costs around LE5 million and planting one acre with dates requires 60 saplings, each costing LE3,000, leading to a total investment of LE1.8 million per acre,” he said.
“Moreover, date palms take four to five years to mature, necessitating longer no-harvest periods for investors to fully develop their plantations.”
As part of the National Date Palm and Date Strategy, launched by the FAO in February 2024, Egypt is focusing on increasing revenues from its date exports to $250 million annually within five years and $500 million within 10 years.
The strategy is also designed to reduce post-harvest losses to 15 per cent and cut supply chain costs by 20 per cent, ultimately enhancing Egypt’s competitiveness in the global market.
With the rising global demand, trade agreements providing duty-free access, and government initiatives to support production and exports, Egypt has a significant opportunity to solidify its position as a leading player in the global date market.
The Business Research Company, a global market research and consulting firm, estimates the international dates market will reach $36.14 billion by 2028, with an annual growth rate of 6.18 per cent to settle at $50.43 billion by 2033.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 13 March, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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