Egypt denies reports claiming date imports from Israel

CAIRO – 30 January 2026: Egypt’s Cabinet Media Center has denied reports circulating on social media claiming that Egypt imports dates from Israel.

The Media Center said that, after coordinating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the claims were confirmed to be completely false. The ministry stressed that Israel is not an approved source for importing palm products into Egypt, particularly dates.

According to the ministry, Egypt imports fresh dates only in limited quantities from approved sources and solely for varieties that are not widely cultivated locally. Dry and semi-dry dates are imported outside their production seasons, mainly to meet the raw material needs of domestic industries.

The ministry highlighted that Egypt ranks first globally in date production, with output exceeding 2 million tons and an estimated 24 million palm trees nationwide. It added that national agricultural projects have helped boost export volumes, while ongoing efforts aim to open new international markets for Egyptian dates.

Reviewing Egypt’s date imports in 2025, the ministry noted that Saudi Arabia topped the list with 21,494 tons, followed by Iraq (5,522 tons), Libya (1,583 tons), Jordan (620 tons), Syria (204 tons), Sudan (15 tons), and the UAE (1,721 tons), bringing total imports to 29,439 tons.

The ministry concluded that such reports are part of a systematic campaign targeting Egyptian agricultural exports, particularly ahead of major international exhibitions such as Fruit Logistica Berlin 2026. It emphasized that the government continues to facilitate the smooth flow of Egyptian agricultural exports to markets worldwide, following the unprecedented success of exporting more than 9.5 million tons.