Ripple Effect on Egypt’s Date Fruit Exports to Indonesia • Yeastfruit

According to Eastern fruit, Indonesia has reduced date imports from Egypt for the first nine months (July-March) of the 2023/24 season. However, Egyptian date exporters continue to be leading suppliers to the Indonesian market.

Between July 2023 and March 2024, Indonesia’s date imports from Egypt were less than 15,000 tonnes, down 25% compared to the same period in the previous season. With the lack of Egyptian date supplies to Indonesia in April and May, it is clear that this season may be the least successful for Egyptian exporters to Indonesia in recent history.

Also Read: Egypt May Flood World Date Market In Next Five Years

The primary reason for this decline Red Sea Siege of Yemen Houthi Forces, a situation reflected in Indonesian import statistics. While December 2023 saw record imports from Egypt, figures fell to an all-time low in January due to serious attacks on civilian vessels in the Red Sea.

Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, is the eighth largest importer of dates by volume and the sixth largest by currency. The country imports an average of 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of dates every season.

Egypt retains its top spot in the supplier rankings for Indonesia, followed by the Persian Gulf countries of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It is noteworthy that in the first nine months of the current season, Saudi Arabia has exceeded its previous season’s total import volume (10.3 thousand tons). Tunisia and Iran typically occupy fourth and fifth places, while other notable suppliers include Libya, Algeria, Iraq, the United States, Palestine and Pakistan.

Date imports in Indonesia usually increase in October with the arrival of products from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Egypt, Tunisia and Iran contribute to the market by December, with Egypt dominating the period from January to March. Import levels drop sharply in April and reach their lowest levels in the summer months.