Production and Marketing of Dates in Iraq

Mohanad Ali Kareem

Ph.D. Student at kaposvr University, Faculty of Economic Science, Doctoral School of

Management and Organizational Sciences, kaposvr, Hungary, (mohannadali25@gmail.com).

 Introduction

Agricultural marketing is the study of all the activities, agencies and policies involved in the procurement of
farm inputs by the farmers and the movement of agricultural products from the farms to the consumers. The

agricultural marketing system is a link between the farm and the non-farm sectors .

Iraqs Agriculture is second largest sector. The countrys largest employer, and an effective engine for promoting
stability through private sector development, poverty reduction, and food security.

The Iraqi date industry has a long history of producing dates to serve the local market and to export to global
markets. Beginning in the early 1990s, Iraqi date production and exports began to decline dramatically due to

Iraq crises.
 Agricultural statistics indicate that the world production of dates is estimated at (7.5 million
tons), the Arab world produce (70.5%) of world production of dates. Where the production
of dates (6145.95 thousand tons) in 2003, Iraq has declined as a major producer of dates to
be ranked fifth in the world after having been a leader for many years, where the its
production is (676.1 thousand tons) in 2003.
The total production of dates for the year 2015 was estimated at (602.3) thousand tons with
an estimated increase of (1.2%) compared to the last year which estimated 594.9 thousand
tons.
 Date Marketing in Iraq

A market exists both in Iraq and in export markets for dates and date products. Raw dates
that currently have a value of USD 75 to 150 per ton can be converted to processed products
that have a value of USD 700 to 1,000 per ton provided the proper procedures are followed
in collection and processing.

Iraq has the potential to be the low-cost producer of dates in the Middle East due to excellent
climatic conditions, abundant land, established date orchards, and low-cost labor (Walsborn,
R. ,2008).
 Date Marketing Policies in Iraq
There are two types of dates marketing policies in Iraq:

1. The government sector plays an important role in planning, implementation and monitoring at
every stage of marketing.(Planning and development strategy , Pricing strategy, Promotion Strategy
and Distribution strategy)

2. Market policies based on market mechanisms, price liberalization, deregulation and give an
important role for the private sector in date marketing.
 Date Value Chain

Iraq is now in a position to modernize the date industry by moving up the value chain, from
production to the end market. The value chain divides into four key elements or stages in the
handling of dates:

1. Production and Farming Practices

2. Post-Harvest Handling
3. Processing
4. Marketing
4Ps of Marketing Mix
 MARKETING CHANNELS

A marketing channel describes the movement of a product or commodity from the site of
production to the place of consumption. It may include transportation, handling and
storage, ownership transfers, processing, and distribution.

The Iraq dates marketing channels are presented in Figure 1 a and b. The bulk of the
dates (80%) flowing through the marketing channels in Iraq are dried dates .
(Mbaga,2012).
 Producer
A 20%

Pancaking
Traders\Agents Wholesale Markets
House

Retailers Local
International customers
customers

B Producer
80% Wholesale
Pancaking Dates big Traders\Agents Markets
House Buyers
Date Processing Retailers
molasses, alcohol, and
International vinegar Local
customers customers

Fig. 1 (a) Iraq marketing channels of fresh dates (Khalaal). (b) Iraq marketing channels of dried dates (Tamr).
Source: Jabarin A. and F.A. Hussain. 2004. Iraqi Date Industry Marketing and Post-Harvest Issues
 Date palm cultivars grown in Iraq

Over 400 date cultivars are cultivated in Iraq. They can be identified by their characteristic fruit
appearance and texture and fall into three types: soft, semi-dry, and dry.
 Date Production in Iraq
The total production of dates for the year 2015 was estimated at (602.3) thousand tons with an
estimated increase of (1.2%) compared to the last year which estimated 594.9 thousand tons .

The total production of Zahidi in Iraq was estimated at 332.0 thousand tons for the governorates
covered by an increase of 5.4% compared to last year's production of 315.1 thousand tons

The average productivity of the productive palm (63.7 kg) was estimated for the governorates
covered.
 Table (1) Comparison between dates production and average yield per productive palm in production stage in Iraq (2011 -2015)

Average yield
per palm in Average yield per
production productive palm Annual Production Kind
stage (kg/palm) (kg/palm) change rate% (Ton) Year
All kinds
67.6 71.1 9.2 619182 2011
68.3 71.1 5.9 655450 2012
65.4 68 3.2 676111 2013
60.2 64.6 1.3 594879 2014
62.6 63.7 -9.1 602348 2015
Zehdi
73 78.2 5.1 372051 2011
73.3 77.2 1.1 376156 2012
71.1 75 -2 368719 2013
67.2 69.1 5.4 315119 2014
68.5 69.6 -7.9 331981 2015
Source: Directorate of Agricultural Statistics - Central Statistical Organization / Iraq,2015.
Fig.(2) Dates production at governorates level for 2015
Source: Directorate of Agricultural Statistics - Central Statistical Organization / Iraq,2015.
 World Date Production and Trade

World production of dates varies from one year to the next for a number of reasons. These
include political instability in the major producing countries, trade embargos, and most
significantly, changes in growing conditions from one growing season to the next.

A number of countries have consistently ranked among the top five date-producing
countries in the world. These include Iraq, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.
 According to FAO statistics, Iraq's exports of dates reached about 190 thousand tons in 1990 and
decreased to 5.16 thousand tons in 2003 and in 2005 increased to 147 thousand tons and in decreased
to 120 thousand tons, but increased in 2011 to reach 138 Thousand tons.

The data indicate that Iraq's exports of dates is 138 thousand tons in 2011 and 20% of the total world
dates exports thus, Iraq comes in the first rank among the most important exporters of dates in the
world, and despite the fact that Iraq ranks first in the volume of exports .

The value of date exports of Iraq is 5.2% of the total value of world exports, as the value of Iraq's
exports in relation to the quantity of dates exports is lower than it and the value of dates exported from
other countries.
 Table 3. Iraq: data of dates production & trade through period (from 1990 to 2011)

Source: FAOSTAT | FAO Statistics Division 2013

 WORLD TOP 10: DATE FRUIT PRODUCING COUNTRIES 2014

% age of World
Rank Country Production (Tones)
Production

1. Egypt 1,470,000 19%

2. Iran 1,066,000 14%

3. Saudi Arabia 1,050,000 14%

4. Algeria 789,357 10%

5. Iraq 650,000 8%
6. Pakistan 600,000 8%

7. Sudan (former) 433,500 6%

8. Oman 270,000 4%
9. U.A.E 250,000 3%
10. Tunisia 190,000 2%
 Date palm traditional products
Dates enter into many transformational industries and there are many food industries in Iraq based on date as raw
material, the most important industries based on dates:
1. packing dates
2. Manufacturing of date products Such as molasses, alcohol, and natural vinegar.
 Obstacles of dates production in Iraq
Non-compliance of date producers with the specifications required by date
processing plants.
Lack of the technology used in date production.
Non-availability of specialized manpower.
Lack in marketing activities.
Poor coordination between the agricultural and industrial sectors in the
production and marketing of dates.
 Conclusions
1. Iraq is the oldest historic domestication center of date palm. Whereas the country had over 32
million date palms in the mid-twentieth century.
2. Dates production is fluctuating where Iraq is facing a political, economic and social conditions
which have affected on all sectors, including the agricultural sector, especially the cultivation of
date palm and date production.
3. Iraq's exports of dates has fluctuated due to fluctuating of production.
4. Iraq's exports of dates is 20% of the total world dates exports thus, Iraq comes in the first rank
among the most important exporters of dates in the world.
5. There is no real attention in the field of production and marketing dates and lack of providing the
necessary technology and workforce.