Madinah’s date production surges by 31% in 2024
SAUDI ARABIA – Madinah, a city in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia has seen a date production increase by 31% in 2024, reaching more than 343,000 tons, according to the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.
This growth strengthened Saudi Arabia’s food security and agricultural sustainability.
The rise in production aligns with Saudi Arabia’s agricultural strategies. Various initiatives have supported this growth in both output and sales.
Madinah hosted events during the date season at six locations, including an exhibition near the Quba Mosque. These activities provided marketing opportunities for farmers and allowed visitors to sample different date varieties.
“Visitors were able to experience different types of dates and understand their significance in our culture and economy,” a ministry official stated.
Production growth also coincided with increased demand during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. A market report indicated that 43% of consumers expected to eat more dates during Ramadan. Additionally, spending on dates and other traditional foods rose by 46% compared to the previous year.
Saudi Arabia remains one of the world’s top date producers and exporters. Total annual production is projected to exceed 1.9 million tons, supported by modern farming techniques and government programs.
Exports have grown steadily, with an annual increase of 12.3% since 2016. By the end of 2023, Saudi date exports had surpassed SAR 1.46 billion (US$394.8 million), reaching 119 countries.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also approved Saudi Arabia’s proposal to designate 2027 as the International Year of Date Palm, highlighting its agricultural and economic importance.
Challenges for Algerian date exporters
Meanwhile, Algerian date exporters are struggling to access the Moroccan market. Algeria’s well-known “Deglet Nour” dates, regarded among the finest varieties, face obstacles reaching Morocco, the largest importer in North Africa and the second-largest worldwide after India.
“We have resigned ourselves to not exporting to Morocco this season,” said Ahmed Mayof, an Algerian date exporter, in an interview with Fresh Plaza. This results from Algeria’s diplomatic dispute with Morocco, which led to the severance of relations in 2021.
Trade restrictions have made exports difficult. In January 2024, the Association of Banks and Financial Institutions (ABEF) instructed commercial banks to block financial transactions for goods entering or passing through Morocco.
This decision has prevented Algerian traders from shipping dates. “It is also impossible to re-export to Morocco via Tunisia, which was done before. Tunisian customs prevent the entry of Algerian Deglet Nour dates to protect their local production,” Mayof explained.
Beyond trade policies, Moroccan traders have raised concerns over Algerian date imports, citing economic and competitive issues. In mid-January, Moroccan merchants staged a protest in Casablanca, calling for an end to Algerian date imports.
“We organized this protest against this Algerian product because it harms the national economy,” a protester said in a statement quoted by Algerian media outlet TSA.
Despite restrictions, some Algerian dates still reach Morocco. The Arabic-language newspaper Assabah recently reported that Tunisian distributors have been purchasing Algerian dates at lower prices and reselling them to Moroccan importers under Tunisian labels.
“Tunisian distributors buy Algerian dates at low prices, then resell them to Moroccan importers, presenting them as Tunisian products, accompanied by false certificates of Tunisian origin,” the newspaper stated.
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