Egypt adopts ambitious strategy targeting global date market

Egypt, the world’s largest producer of dates, sits on a golden opportunity to dominate the global date market, with an annual yield exceeding 1.8 million tonnes, accounting for 18 percent of the global output

Despite a wealth of dates, Egypt’s export performance is modest. According to government data, only around 4-5 per cent of its annual production is exported.

Recognising the economic potential of the date industry, the Egyptian government hasrecently drawn up a strategy to develop the palm date sector and increase exports over the coming five years.

“Egypt’s date exports are low because 52 percent of our harvest is moist, and these products are perishable. Only three percent is dry, while 20 percent is semi-dry,” Head of the Central Laboratory Director of Palm Research at the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, EzzeddinGadallah said, adding that Egypt focuses on exporting semi-dry dates since they are most suitable for exports.

The new strategy is meant to develop the dates export market by cultivating more varieties that have higher economic return, such as Barhi, Magdool, Khalas, Sukkari, Agwa El-Madina, and Anbara, Gadallah noted.