Dates: Exports down sharply

Mundus Agri:  Date exports in the first eight months of 2022 lag behind those of the same period last year in both volume and value. Current export prices, however, have increased in recent weeks.

Lower demand

As recent Iranian customs statistics show, a total of 185,665 mt of Iranian dates worth just over USD 159.34 million were exported in the first eight months of 2022. Exports thus show a decline compared to the corresponding period last year: in 2021, 207,647 mt of dates worth USD 181.63 million were exported in the first eight months. Exporters report that demand from overseas has decreased significantly compared to last year, which is probably due to the difficult economic situation in the target countries.

New crop increases buying interest

So far, Mazafati dates account for the largest share of this year's exports, with 81,705 mt or 44% of total exports. They are followed by Sayer and Zahedi dates in second and third place. The most expensive variety. In the past three weeks, export prices for Iranian dates have increased. Although the rial has declined in value, a significant increase in buying interest has led to the price increases of 2.5% to 3.5%. The start of the new harvest has been a major driver of demand.