Baghdad has launched the Iraqi Dates Festival and Exhibition at the Baghdad International Fairgrounds to strengthen Iraq date exports and showcase the country’s heritage. The Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce, the Iraqi Federation of Chambers of Commerce, and international partners such as the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) organize the three-day event.
Therefore, the festival highlights Iraq’s growing date production and its economic impact. Hussein Al-Wasiti, Prime Minister’s Advisor for Agricultural Affairs, noted that the number of palm trees has risen from 7 million in 2003 to over 22 million today. Consequently, Iraq now exports more than 500,000 tons of dates to markets in India, East Asia, Morocco, and Europe.
Moreover, Mehdi Seher Al-Jubouri, Administrative Undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed that annual production increased from 639,000 tons in 2020 to approximately 700,000 tons in 2024. Iraq now accounts for 7.2% of global date production, generating revenues exceeding half a trillion Iraqi Dinars in 2024. Government support includes free pesticides for orchard owners, strict quarantine for tissue-culture seedlings, and a ban on foreign date imports to protect local producers.
Furthermore, this year’s festival focuses on increasing profitability in Iraq date exports. Zahraa Watout, Director of National Projects at ITC, noted that 70% of Iraqi dates are sold in regional markets at low prices. She emphasized that improving post-harvest operations, modern packaging, branding, and marketing could raise export value by 40%.
The Iraqi government aims to develop dates as a strong non-oil revenue stream. Star Al-Jabri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, said the Export Support Fund helps local exporters attend international exhibitions and enter new markets. This initiative demonstrates Baghdad’s commitment to increasing global competitiveness and maximizing Iraq date exports.