Egypt tops world date production at 2.2 million tons annually, minister says

Egypt's agriculture minister told the International Dates Council that Egypt leads global date production, with annual output of 2.2 million tons.

• Minister Alaa Farouk made the remarks via video conference at the council's sixth session, hosted by Oman.
• Farouk said Egypt's 27 million palm trees, 21 million of them fruit-bearing, produce 2.2 million tons yearly and export dates worth $161 million.
• He welcomed the council's 2026–2030 strategy, built on five axes including unified standards, research exchange, and red palm weevil control.
• Council membership has grown from 11 countries at its founding in 2013 to 17 countries in 2026, Farouk noted.