Despite a 14% increase in production over last year, the success of Tunisia's Deglet Nour date export campaign remains to be seen. Several exporters told FreshPlaza that orders had been slow this year and that they were hoping for a more dynamic market in the run-up to Ramadan.
Mohamed Sadok, CEO of Carthagoexpo, told FreshPlaza: "Orders from foreign markets are disappointing this season despite the availability of sufficient volumes and very good quality. We don't know why, but we have high hopes for the start of 2024. The month of Ramadan will arrive in March, and Ramadan-related orders are expected to start pouring in."
"Deglet Nour is one of the most sought-after date varieties in the world, due to its aesthetic and taste qualities, and because it is in the mid-range and therefore offers very good value for money," says Mr. Sadok. He adds: "For all these reasons, Deglet Nour dates are the most widely exported dates for the month of Ramadan, to North Africa and Europe. All it takes is for the market to get to know or discover the variety for it to be adopted by consumers, and this is the case in Morocco and in Western European countries with a large North African diaspora, which are our most important markets".
Fortunately, growers were able to keep their heads above water thanks to strong demand from the local Tunisian market throughout the season, according to Sadok. He says, "Local demand, particularly in the south of the country, has been very good, which can be explained by the exceptional quality of this season."
As for prices, there's been an increase compared with last season, but Sadok doesn't see this as a possible reason for the drop in demand. He explains: "Prices have risen very little compared with last season. Tunisian dates remain among the most competitive on the European market, especially if you take into account the cost of transport. We hope that the unusual lack of demand this season will come to an end with the month of Ramadan".
For more information:
Mohamed Sadok
CarthagoExpo
Tel. : +216 21 143 905
Email: carthagoexpo@gmail.com