Eng. Khaled El Haggan, a prominent grower, exporter, Chair of the Date Palm Committee at the Agriculture Export Council, and a member of the national OCOP task force in Egypt, recently shared the farmers’ perspective on the date production ecosystem at the FAO conference in Rome.
Egypt at the Forefront of Global Production Highlighting a legacy that spans 5,000 years, Eng. Khaled noted that Egypt currently leads the world in date production, yielding about 2 million tons annually from over 22 million palm trees. The sector has experienced remarkable progress, advancing from 12th to 8th place in global exports, with a clear strategic target to reach the 6th position. Key milestones include the implementation of a new date palm strategy, the development of a climatic map for optimal planting, and establishing the first standardized specifications for Medjool dates.
Key Challenges & Innovative Solutions (The Five Challenges) To sustain this growth, Eng. Khaled outlined five major challenges facing the industry and proposed actionable, innovative solutions:
Training & Workforce Development: The industry faces a critical labor gap, requiring 90,000 skilled palmists compared to the current 4,000 Proposed solutions include implementing “teach the teacher” programs and designing scalable online courses to rapidly educate the workforce.
Hygiene & Pesticide Residuals: There is a pressing need to phase out cheap, unofficial pesticides. The focus must shift toward robust awareness campaigns, promoting zero-PHI standards, and utilizing bio-pesticides.
High Production Costs: Agricultural spending per hectare in Egypt is currently 6 to 10 times higher than in Europe. To remain competitive—especially with upcoming export regulations like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)—increasing agricultural automation and redefining current practices are essential.
Waste Management: Over 40% of date production (about 800,000 tons annually) is lost to waste. By conducting comprehensive feasibility studies, this waste can be transformed into valuable products such as healthy sugar, flour, antioxidants, and animal feed. This initiative will significantly boost global food security while creating sustainable jobs for women and youth.
Digital Transformation (Al Manara Platform): Drawing on his 40 years of IT experience, Eng. Khaled introduced “Al Manara” (The Lighthouse). This integrated digital platform connects all supply chain stakeholders, providing localized, real-time data and agricultural services to optimize costs, enhance farmer reach, and ultimately combat poverty and hunger.
Ultimately, the presentation delivered a strong message: innovation and digital transformation are the core drivers needed to overcome today’s agricultural challenges and secure a sustainable future for the date palm industry