A reduction in date production of at least 20% is projected
This news is a warning signal for the production of dates in the country because ignoring the production of this sector can easily replace our country with other countries producing dates that compete with our country in the production of this product, and of course the experience gained on some agricultural products in Our country has proved that returning to the golden age of world-class production of these products has been a very time-consuming and, of course, costly task that we may never even reach the desired position.
If the name of Iran is familiar to some due to having some special goods in the world, it is definitely one of these date products, so reducing the production of this product in our country and neglecting it can cause the loss of target markets while continuing this trend in In the coming years, it is not unlikely that we will see the uncontrolled import of dates, and maybe the Chinese will do something about the shortage of dates in our country!
In this regard, Engineer Ali Asghar Mousavi – Secretary General of the Iranian Date Association, while predicting a reduction in date production of at least 20% in the country this year, said: This year we expect to have about 750,000 tons of date production in the country and this year In the past, we had about 900,000 tons of date production in the whole country.
Emphasizing that we need a lot of investment in date production, Mousavi continued: To revive the southern regions of the country, we must work seriously on the issue of water supply, because there are many problems in this area.
In addition to the discussion of production, packaging and attention to date conversion industries and subsequent development of exports of this product are other categories that are clearly visible with a field observation in the market in the discussion of conversion industries and packaging of dates suitable for our country as one of the producers The world’s top dates are not done.
Of course, the Secretary General of the Iranian Date Association also confirmed this issue and stated: Unfortunately, no investment has been made in the conversion industry in Iran and the only valuable investment made in this field is a few units in the south that have not been launched yet and are only half-finished. A unit in Tabriz is an active unit in this field that supplies and exports sugar from dates.
Mousavi, noting that the situation of the date industry is much more unfavorable than other industries, stressed the need to facilitate investment, services and cheap loans in this sector and said: Currently, when people see that they are able to invest in the petrochemical sector in the industry. Dates do not invest.
While the issue of packaging in dates has always been emphasized by experts in this product, but last month Ahmad Mirhashemi, deputy director of the Dried Fruit Union in Khuzestan, announced the closure of 14 of the 65 packaging units in the province and said: Global financial crisis, declining profits Due to bank interest rates, inflation and high production costs in the country, the export of dates has caused the non-return of financial resources of union members and the closure of some units.
Mir Hashemi, referring to the amount of employment created by packaging units, was reminded: packaging units in Khuzestan have created employment for 25,000 people, which was reduced by 25% with the closure of 14 created employment units.
Mirhashemi reminded the low production rate and quality of dates in Khuzestan this year and said: This year, more than 30,000 tons of dates will not be produced in this province.
According to the above, it is necessary that the production, processing, conversion industries and export of dates should be given special support because this product is usually produced in parts of our country where it is not possible to grow many crops and sometimes the only source of income and earn a lot of money. He is one of our compatriots who are deprived of many welfare facilities.