Dates: production estimate revised slightly upwards
March 31, 2026 at 12:57 PM ,
Der AUDITOR
Date crop volume rises by 9.5%
The updated crop estimates in the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council’s report contain only a few adjustments. Only in Tunisia and Algeria is the production of table dates expected to have been higher than initially anticipated, which also increases overall availability. Globally, a total of 1.32 million mt of dates are expected to be harvested in the 2025/26 season, representing a 9.5% increase on the previous year – at the end of last year, estimates stood at 1.29 million mt. Thanks to carry-over stocks from the 2024/25 season, a total of 1.567 million mt of dates are expected to be available for the current marketing year – compared with just 1.47 million mt last year.
The INC cites the expansion of acreage in numerous producing countries, driven by sustained strong demand, as the reason for the increase in production. Deglet Noor dates are in particularly high demand, but Medjool dates are also becoming increasingly popular on the international market.
The main producing country is Saudi Arabia, which accounts for around 22% of the global crop with 290,000 mt (+7.4% year-on-year). It is followed by Egypt (+5.6% to 190,000 mt), the United Arab Emirates (+/-0.0% to 170,000 mt) and Tunisia (+50% to 150,000 mt). According to INC data, all major producing countries are recording stable to rising production this season.
|
Global table date production, in mt |
|||
|
Country |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
Diff. |
|
Saudi Arabia |
270,000 |
290,000 |
7.4% |
|
Egypt |
180,000 |
190,000 |
5.6% |
|
UAE |
170,000 |
170,000 |
0.0% |
|
Tunisia |
100,000 |
150,000 |
50.0% |
|
Iran |
130,000 |
130,000 |
0.0% |
|
Algeria |
65,000 |
90,000 |
38.5% |
|
Iraq |
70,000 |
70,000 |
0.0% |
|
Israel |
55,000 |
60,000 |
9.1% |
|
Morocco |
40,000 |
40,000 |
0.0% |
|
Jordan |
22,000 |
26,000 |
18.2% |
|
USA |
25,000 |
25,000 |
0.0% |
|
Oman |
25,000 |
25,000 |
0.0% |
|
Pakistan |
25,000 |
25,000 |
0.0% |
|
Mexico |
19,000 |
20,000 |
5.3% |
|
Sudan |
6,000 |
6,000 |
0.0% |
|
Libya |
3,000 |
3,000 |
0.0% |
|
Total |
1,205,000 |
1,320,000 |
9.5% |
|
INC, March 2026 |
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EU imports are declining
In 2025, EU countries imported a total of 152,117 mt of dates (-3.8% year-on-year) worth EUR 383.417 million (-2% year-on-year). Almost 40% of these shipments came from Tunisia. The country reduced its shipments to the EU by just under 10% year-on-year to 59,957 mt; other key trading partners such as Algeria (-17.8% to 21,952 mt), Israel (-7.1% to 19,317 mt) and Iran (-2.4% to 15,218 mt) have exported fewer dates to the EU as well, whereas shipments from Pakistan have risen by 51% to 10,380 mt.
During Q1 of 2026, EU countries imported only around 44,019 mt of dates from third countries, representing a year-on-year decline of 22.6%; however, due to the slightly higher import price, the import value fell by only 18.1% to 113.567 million mt. Despite a continued decline in shipments (-4% year-on-year), Tunisia remains the EU’s most important trading partner, accounting for 19,976 mt or 45.4% of total imports. Imports from other major producing countries such as Iran (-9.6% to 4,393 mt), Israel (-29.5% to 4,263 mt), Algeria (-65% to 4,106 mt) and many other countries also continued to decline in the first three months of the year.
On the European spot market, prices for pitted dates from Pakistan are currently quoted at EUR 1.29/kg EXW Poland.
|
EU date imports, in mt |
|||
|
Partner |
2025 |
2026 |
Diff. |
|
Tunisia |
20,828 |
19,976 |
-4.1% |
|
Iran |
4,860 |
4,393 |
-9.6% |
|
Israel |
6,048 |
4,263 |
-29.5% |
|
Algeria |
11,713 |
4,103 |
-65.0% |
|
Pakistan |
2,695 |
2,645 |
-1.9% |
|
Occupied Palestinian Territories |
2,052 |
1,686 |
-17.8% |
|
Saudi Arabia |
3,243 |
1,671 |
-48.5% |
|
UAE |
1,726 |
1,468 |
-14.9% |
|
Jordan |
1,034 |
1,036 |
0.2% |
|
Egypt |
476 |
821 |
72.5% |
|
Others |
2,202 |
1,957 |
-11.1% |
|
Total |
56,877 |
44,019 |
-22.6% |
|
DG AGRI TAXUD Customs Surveillance System, Jan-Mar 08041000 Fresh or dried dates |
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