75% reduction in Khuzestan date exports

75% reduction in Khuzestan date exports

The Vice President of the Khuzestan Date Exporters Union, referring to the existing internal and external problems that have a direct impact on date exports, said: Date exports have decreased by 75% in the new year.

Yaghoub Khezri stated: The economic fluctuations of the West have reduced the purchasing power of foreign countries, which as a result has had a direct effect on the demand for dates; Also, the price that these countries announce for buying dates is less than the cost price of our exporters, and this is one of the main reasons for the decrease in date exports.

He added: Until last year, dates were exported to European countries, Australia, Russia and Canada, but this year they are exported in very small quantities.

The Vice President of the Khuzestan Date Exporters Union stated that 65 date production units are operating in the province, which has led to the direct and indirect employment of 25,000 people; He added: Lack of civil infrastructure and continuity of activities in the traditional way are the main problems of these units.

Khezri pointed out: one million tons of dates are produced annually in the country, of which 160,000 tons are dates produced in Khuzestan; From 80% of the date palms cultivated in Khuzestan, a species called colonization is produced and the whole product is exported due to its high quality.

He said: Due to the decrease in exports, we are facing a large surplus, which leads to sales to the processing industry and animal feed, which causes a lot of damage to producers.

Khezri called for more attention and cooperation of the relevant organizations in the province for the development and expansion of date production units.