Iraqi dates start arriving in UAE

Higher quantities of dates - an all important commodity during the Ramadan month - have just started to come into the UAE market, in time for the start of the Ramadan, according to industry sources.

However, delivery schedules have been complicated by the fact that Ramadan has started just a month after the start of the date crop season in Iraq.

Iraq is by far the biggest exporter of dates through Dubai, particularly at the mass market level. The date cropping season started in the first week of October and goes on until February.

Major demand for Iraqi Zahedi Golden dates for exports starts around two months prior to the Ramadan.

The advancement of Ramadan every year results in a shorter time available to make it to the Ramadan season in the Indian sub continent and Far East.

Dubai as a major transit point for Iraqi dates to these destinations have been hit this year, as export volumes have come down drastically.

The start of Ramadan closer to the crop season has had some impact on date imports into the UAE, said sources. Iraqi dates are priced at $175 to $220 a tonne compared to $1,500 to $2,200 a tonne for the Saudi varieties and from $400 to $1,500 a tonne for those grown in the UAE.

"Traditionally, there are about 2,000 to 3,000 containers of dates coming out of Iraq during the Ramadan season and transited through the UAE for several markets. However, schedules have been upset this year," said M. Murali, director at Barth Trading.

The local and re-export markets generally place bulk orders well before the start of Ramadan. Sources suggest that the problem could ease up in the next few weeks as Iraqi date imports finally make it to the UAE in larger numbers.

The UAE has had a fairly decent crop as has Saudi Arabia, they add, and together this should be able to ensure consistent supplies are met. Tunisia is another major exporter of dates.

There are no ready and reliable numbers on the volume of dates moving through the local market.

While Ramadan has only just started, indications are that retail buying of dates is on the up and up. Major wholesale and retail players are fairly confident that demand will be met in the interim until such time plentiful stocks are again available.

Meanwhile, leading supermarket chains have been placing advance orders to ensure sustained deliveries of the all important food staple during Ramadan.

A case in point, Spinneys increases its purchases of dates by approximately 40 to 50 per cent during the Ramadan period. Fresh dates are imported from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria, and a significant quality of local dates are also sold within their stores.

"Spinneys stocks over 100 varieties brands and sizes of packs, thereby catering to a number of different tastes.

"Furthermore, our buyers constantly scour both the local and international market to procure dates which not only comply with Spinneys' criteria for providing customers with quality, but also at prices which are both competitive and cost effective," said Sian Chevasson marketing and PR manager, Spinneys Dubai LLC.