Council
International Date Council
Explore the data shaping the global date sector.
Global snapshot · 2026
The date sector in figures
Headline indicators compiled from member-country submissions approved by the Council secretariat.
Global production trend
Tonnes, 2018–2026
Production by region
Share of global output, 2026
Data catalogue
Explore the indicators
Nine core indicators, 40+ reporting countries and nine years of harmonised annual data.
Production
Total volume of dates produced, by country and year.
14.35M t
Consumption
Domestic apparent consumption of dates.
13.07M t
Exports
Outbound trade volumes of dates and date products.
4.35M t
Imports
Inbound trade volumes of dates and date products.
3.07M t
Trade Value
Combined value of date sector trade flows.
$21.20M USD
Prices
Average producer and export unit prices.
$2,796 USD/t
Cultivation Area
Area under date palm cultivation.
1.59M ha
Yield
Average productivity per hectare of cultivated land.
8.89 t/ha
Market Trends
Composite market momentum index for the date sector.
137.8 idx
Leading producers, 2026
Tonnes and year-over-year change
- 1Saudi Arabia2.6M t+2.5%
- 2Egypt2.5M t+7.1%
- 3Tunisia1.7M t+5.4%
- 4Algeria1.4M t+3.7%
- 5Iran1.4M t+3.5%
- 6United Arab Emirates1.3M t+5.1%
Saudi Vision 2030
A sector inside a national transformation
Six strategic pillars connect the Kingdom's date sector to economic diversification, food security and sustainable agriculture.
- Economic Diversification
- Agriculture
- Sustainability
- Food Security
- Technology & Innovation
- Export Development
Publications
Latest reports
Annual reviews, statistical releases and research papers from the Council.
Annual ReportsGlobal Date Sector Annual Review 2026
A full-year assessment of production, trade and consumption across 40+ reporting countries, with outlook scenarios to 2030.
148 pages
Statistical ReportsWorld Date Trade Statistics 2025
Bilateral trade flows, unit values and tariff-line detail for date exports and imports across all reporting members.
96 pages
Research PapersYield and Productivity Outlook
How irrigation efficiency, varietal selection and mechanisation are reshaping tonnes per hectare across major producers.
62 pagesAnalysis
Insights from the data
Production
Where global date production is growing fastest
Production growth is no longer evenly distributed. Four countries account for most of the increase recorded since 2018.
18 May 2026 · 6 min read
Market Analysis
The widening premium in date export prices
Export unit values have separated into two distinct tiers, with varietal identity now doing most of the pricing work.
2 Apr 2026 · 5 min read
Sustainability
Water productivity becomes the sector metric to watch
As irrigation costs rise, tonnes per cubic metre is becoming as important as tonnes per hectare.
27 Feb 2026 · 7 min read
Trade
Trade corridors are getting shorter
Intra-regional flows are absorbing a growing share of exports, changing the logistics profile of the sector.
15 Jan 2026 · 4 min read
Member countries
Report national statistics to the Council
Designated national statistical bodies submit annual returns through the member portal. Every submission is validated and reviewed before publication.