Sayer Dates market report

Iranian Sayer Dates market and crop report
8-Feb-16

As per previous report, current crop year (2015) has been a relatively large crop in comparison to the past two crop years 2013 and 2014. However due to the increase on the volume the fruits were frequently smaller than average size and farmers ended up with harvesting fairly higher volume of small sized fruits (GAQ Grade) as opposed to select grade. Even the count of the fruits per pound for the current year was moving towards higher end of the specification ranges.
 
On the sales side, this year has been a record breaking year so far meaning that exportation of the Sayer dates to the ex-soviet /CIS countries  such as Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan etc. and neighbour countries in gulf region has been far more than before.

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As of today, after 4 months from harvest almost 60% of the crop has been exported (based on Iranian customs statistics) and the remaining crop in the hands of the farmers is less than 20,000 MT and therefore we are now looking at a price increase on the raw material by more than 15% compared to the harvesting time price ranges. It is expected that the higher quality Dates fit for exporting purpose will get more scare as we pass March and naturally the price increase will continue through the end of the crop year.
 
Considering very good amount of rainfall during the fall and winter in centre and south, farmers are expecting a decent crop year as it has a significant effect of the crop. Sure enough this is verifiable once the palms start to bloom by April.