With the attendance of 102 experts and specialists in the Date Palm cultivation sector, and representing 22 countries.

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation General Secretariat, organized a scientific virtual lecture on the “Promising Global Date Markets”, presented by Eng. Tamim Al Dhawi, Deputy Executive Director of the Export Council for Food Industries, affiliated to the Ministry of Trade and Industry in the Arab Republic of Egypt, on Monday 06^th of December, 2021, with the attendance of 102 experts and specialists in the Date Palm cultivation sector, and representing 22 Arab countries. Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Award’s Secretary General, noted that this virtual lecture comes under the directives of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees, and within the Award’s framework and commitment to spread the scientific knowledge and awareness specialized in date palm cultivation production.

From his side, Eng. Tamim Al Dhawi, presented that in light of the significant growth of date palm cultivation in various countries across the world, led by the Arab countries, which currently produce more than 75% of the total global production, with a total quantity of 8.6 million tons, depending mainly on exporting dates and marketing up to 75% of the total global date exports, which amounted to $1.9 billion in 2020, this is in addition to the large agricultural expansions carried out by Arab countries in this vital sector. It has become necessary to closely identify and study the global trade movement in this sector to determine the available export opportunities, and the expected growth rates in various countries across the world, in addition to the interest in opening new markets that accommodates the growing production of dates with interest in innovation, manufacturing, marketing and the use of various marketing tools, whether traditional such as exhibitions, or new tools powered by e-commerce and virtual marketplaces. Eng. Al Dhawi stressed on the fact that the consumption and circulation of dates is not limited to the traditional form of dates in their natural state as a fruit, but rather there is a growing interest in food industries based on dates in an innovative way.

Eng. Al Dhawi then indicated that the Republic of India topped the list of the most important date importing countries in the world in 2020, with a total- imports worth $225 million, representing 13.3% of the total global date imports, achieving a growth rate of 37% in value compared to its imports in 2019, where Kingdom of Morocco ranked second, with a total imports worth 158 million USD, representing 9.3% of the global date imports, in 2020, and in the third place is France, with imports worth 114 million USD, representing 6.7% of the global import values ​​in 2020, while  in fourth place is the United Arab Emirates with 96 million USD, which represents 5.7% of global import value ​​in 2020.

Eng. Al Dhawi then added that Tunisia topped the list of the world's most important date exporters in 2020, with exports worth $307 million, representing 16.2% of the total global date exports, achieving a growth rate of 4% compared to exports in 2019, with a quantity of 121,000 tons, and an average price of $2547 per ton. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia came in the second place, with exports worth 246 million dollars, representing 13% of the total global exports of dates. While in third place is the State of Israel, with a value of $236 million, representing 12% of the total global date exports. The United Arab Emirates ranked fourth, with exports worth $162 million, representing 8.5% of the total global date exports in 2020.

Eng. Al Dhawi then concluded his presentation with a set of the most important recommendations to increase date exports, by: providing updated marketing information and studies on dates, supporting small and medium-sized companies in the date field, providing sources of financing with simplified interests, while providing the necessary technical support. Organizing participation in international and local specialized exhibitions, trade and marketing exhibitions. Creating brands based on alliances of origin according to production regions that share common characteristics. Expanding the signing of trade agreements with the target countries to provide custom advantages for exports while facilitating the procedures for dealing with the current agreements. The use of digital marketing mechanisms, as it is one of the most important marketing and selling platforms in the world today, with the help of experts specialized in this field.

Eng. Al Dhawi, then concluded the lecture by highlighting the great role played by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in supporting and developing the date palm cultivation sector and the date production worldwide, through the organizing of Jordan International Date Palm Festival, Sudan International Date Palm Festival, and Egypt International Date Palm Festival and the accompanying activities and events. Which actively contributed to the increase of the reputation of the Arab dates and the volume of exports, in addition to the series of international conferences organized by the Award’s General Secretariat.