Can Iraqi Dates Regain its Glory?
Development in Iraq, which once was the bread basket of the region, cannot be thought without improving its agriculture sector. Agriculture accounts for maximum i.e. 6% of the GDP, after oil which accounts for over 80%. But agriculture used to provide livelihood to 3 million Iraqis and utter neglect of this sector has resulted millions of unemployed. In this section, we will discuss Iraqi dates which was very popular once has lost its lustre.
A story of neglect: Iraq’s share in the world dates market has gone down significantly over the last few years. Iraq was known for its premium quality of table dates and large variety. Today, it does not sell table premium dates in the world and one would not be wrong in saying that it does not sell any dates to the world, for that matter.
Iraq still is the sixth largest producer of dates in the world and sheer neglect coupled with insecurity has destroyed its export market completely, though this sector can be revived easily with the intervention from Government and Development Agencies. India, the largest consumer of dates in the world, buys the cheapest quality and is the largest market for Iraqi dates, supplied by UAE exporters. UAE based exporters procure dates from Iraq to supply to India and add value like grading, packaging etc. in Dubai and finally ship it out from there.
Not enough: The Government of Iraq (GOI) has off late introduced a procurement price to help Iraqi farmers. Though Iraqi dates growers might have got an immediate relief, this mechanism will not help in improving the quality of dates.
The government intervention is needed to help the growers by advising on improving on quality, usage of proper pesticides, pruning and so on. Advising growers on export market, packaging requirements, sanitary and phyto sanitary regulations would help this sector to move up the value chain. This would help growers to export directly and fetch a better price. GOI also needs to revamp its Agricultural extension service and reach out to the farmers. Table premium quality dates in Europe fetches $840 per ton as opposed to Indian/Syrian price of $60 per ton.
Pragmatic support: USAID, the main donor working in Iraq since 2003, needs to relook at its strategy to revive Iraqi dates to regain its market. It was second largest export item after oil. USAID needs to focus more on agricultural sector and provide technical assistance in the Iraqi context. Many of its projects could not deliver much since country context was not factored in the technical assistance program. The only project of USAID, to support Iraqi agriculture, has decided not to work in dates, since Government has announced a procurement price. Can this be the logic not to work with this sector, when farmers need technical input to improve the quality? When the Ministry of Agriculture needs technical assistance in revamping its extension service? Don’t we provide direct subsidy in US? Does United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) stop providing technical assistance to the farming community?
Development Agency or its contractor needs to relook at it in the context and support Iraqi dates growers who have already suffered a lot after the sanction, misrule and ethnic strife. They indeed deserve all support and assistance to regain glory. 
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