Egyptian date crop estimated at 2.1 million tons this season

The date season in Egypt is expected to see steady volumes, even as erratic weather disrupts the usual harvest schedule and affects fruit size and quality in certain regions. Khaled El-Haggan, a date producer and exporter and chairman of the Dates and Palm Trees Committee within the Egyptian Agricultural Export Council (AEC), shares his initial projections.

© Youness Bensaid | FreshPlaza.com

“The Medjool date harvest in Egypt will begin around mid-September, with variations by region, while the general date harvest is already underway, having started in early August,” the industry representative explains. “This season, we are seeing a discrepancy from the usual seasonal pattern, attributable to the climatic volatility and temperature instability observed over the past year. Some producing regions have begun harvesting earlier than usual, while others have fallen behind schedule. We have also observed some irregularities in fruit size and overall quality parameters in certain areas. So far, the season has been atypical.”

In terms of production volumes, El-Haggan highlights the continued expansion of Egypt’s date sector, driven by orchards planted in recent years that are now reaching their productive maturity. “Egypt’s production volume continues to grow at a considerable rate. A significant number of orchards planted in recent years are now entering their productive maturity phase, thereby contributing to overall production. We estimate this season’s production at 2.1 million tonnes across all varieties.”

Many varieties will be central to the export campaign, El-Haggan adds. “The variety offering is diverse, ranging from Barhi, Medjool, Siwy, and Saeedy, supplemented by dry varieties such as Bartamoda and Sakoti. “

This wide range of varieties allows Egyptian exporters to target diverse geographic markets: “The Siwy and Saeedy varieties are primarily destined for Far Eastern markets, while our target markets for Medjool include, in particular, Europe, Turkey, China, and Russia. Virtually all of these varieties also enjoy strong demand throughout the Middle East and Arab countries.”

African markets, however, are expected to remain marginal this season, largely due to Moroccan restrictions on date imports, according to El-Haggan.

For more information:
Khaled El-Haggan
Dates and Palm Trees Committee (Agricultural Export Council – Egypt)
Tel: +20 12221 05631
Email: [email protected]