Basra: War decreases date export in date-rich Basra

Dates became much cheaper at the internal market after the export stopped.
Date production in the world’s leading date producing and exporting country of Iraq has been decreased by 70 percent after the intervention of the USA and Britain in the country.

The decrease in production almost caused a halt in exports. The reason for this is considered to be the war and the difficulties of finding jobs in Iraq after the war and the increase in labour costs.

The number of the 13 million date trees in Basra, that used to cover 30 percent of Iraq’s export, has fallen down to three million.
This caused one kilo of packaged dates to fall from 1000 dinars to 750 dinars.

Producers said that the decrease in date prices is good for the internal market. But because the exports have halted, the country’s economy has no income. Production is better than last year.

Date producer Seyid Faraq Seyid ihsan says " Our products only were selling in the internal market."

Chief of Basra Agriculturel directorate, Dr. Mohsin Ali says "Saplings will be distributed to producers, we try to increase production capacity and date exportation. We hope that, date production will increase next years, reach to its ordinary level. Date factories were established in Baghdad where these factories affect date production capacity in Iraq."