Wed Mar 12 10:03:38 UTC 2025: ## Middle Eastern Trio Dominates Global Date Production Amidst Ramadan Observances and Boycott Calls
**Cairo, October 26, 2023** – As the Muslim world observes Ramadan, the significance of dates in breaking the fast is highlighted by the fact that Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria produce nearly half the world’s supply of this vital fruit. According to the food and agriculture database Tridge, these three nations account for approximately 48% of global date production, with Egypt leading at nearly 18%, followed by Saudi Arabia (17%) and Algeria (13%). Global production totaled approximately 10 million tonnes in 2022.
Dates, revered for their nutritional value and mentioned in the Quran, are a crucial part of the iftar meal. The varied types, including the highly prized Ajwa dates from Medina, Saudi Arabia, offer diverse flavors and textures. A single mature date palm can yield over 100kg of dates annually.
While the Middle East dominates production, Israel is a major exporter, particularly of Medjool dates, generating $330 million in export revenue in 2022. However, the ongoing conflict in Gaza has prompted calls from groups like the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to boycott Israeli dates, urging consumers to be aware of the origin and packaging of their purchases. The BDS movement cites concerns over Israeli policies and actions in the occupied Palestinian territories. Specific brands targeted for boycott were not named in the provided text.
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