2024-03-17 23:27:17
Preparing for Ramadan has not been easy for European date importers. They had to deal with delivery delays, deal with fluctuating qualities, and find alternatives for consumers who boycott Israeli products.
Like other agricultural raw materials, the date has also been caught in the whirlwind of current geopolitical crises. Tensions in the Red Sea have affected the cost of transport since December and weighed on prices, but it is undoubtedly the conflict between Israel and Hamas which had the most impact. Its launch on October 7 coincided with the date harvest and marketing period.
In Israel and the West Bank, difficulties in mobilizing labor and in places insecurity have disrupted the harvest calendar and factory work. However, these territories are important exporters of dates of the Medjool variety. Belgian importer Tomoor says he received orders several weeks late than usual. “ It’s a year to forget “, one of his West Bank suppliers told him.
Vigilant buyers
The trend to boycott Israeli products also complicated the picture. Faced with demanding buyers this Ramadan, Tomoor says he had to provide certificates of origin to unequivocally attest to the provenance of his dates. A request which echoes the fraud in the labeling of Israeli products, denounced by the boycott supporters. Several large distribution brands in Europe have been singled out in recent weeks.
It is still too early to have quantitative data, but this climate would have benefited Morocco, which has recently launched the marketing of the famous Medjool date. The other alternative which is popular on the market, according to an operator, is Deglet Nour, a variety very common in Algeria and Tunisia, but little produced in Israel.
Read alsoMedjool dates: Palestinian treasure under occupation
If logistical difficulties and the context tend to push the price of dates upwards, it has not soared, unlike that of other dried fruits such as figs and dried apricots, assures Armand Fabre, importer. based in Marseille in the south of France.
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