Iraq expects increase in date production and exports, Ministry of Agriculture says

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture announced on Saturday an expected increase in date production for the current season, signaling improvement compared to the past two years. The ministry also reported a steady rise in the volume of dates exported annually, reflecting growth in overall production.

Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Al-Khazali told the Iraqi News Agency that while the date season has not yet concluded, early estimates suggest this year’s output will surpass that of previous years, though exact figures are still to be confirmed.

“In 2022, Iraq exported more than 650,000 tons of dates, and in 2023, exports reached around 725,000 tons,” Al-Khazali said. He added that the rise in exports highlights broader production growth, supported by agricultural projects in provinces like Muthanna and Karbala.

Al-Khazali further predicted that this year’s production would exceed last year’s totals.

Currently, dates are Iraq’s second-largest export after oil, which dominates the country’s export revenues and generates over $120 million.

In Iraq, the date palm and its harvest are national symbols of pride. Once known as the “land of 30 million palm trees,” Iraq’s tradition of date cultivation has weathered significant challenges, including the Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988, before climate change emerged as a major threat.

The number of palm trees in Iraq has now grown to over 22 million, reflecting an increase of 5 million over the past three years. This growth brings the country closer to its mid-1970s peak of 30 million palms, a figure that was drastically reduced by war and environmental changes. Basra, home to over one-third of the country’s palms, was particularly hard hit.

In August, the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture announced that it has planted over 6.4 million trees across the country in the last 18 months as part of the government’s efforts to combat climate change and revitalize the agricultural sector.

However, the agricultural sector continues to face significant challenges due to climate change. Iraq is ranked as the fifth-most vulnerable country to the effects of climate change, according to the U.N.