Dates on the Rise – Egypt Unlocks Its Potential

Dates are experiencing a true boom worldwide. As a nutrient-rich, naturally sweet, and versatile fruit, they are increasingly valued as a superfood—whether in healthy diets, organic product lines, or as a natural sugar alternative in the food industry. The demand for high-quality date products continues to grow, driven by trends toward health, sustainability, and conscious nutrition. 

Egypt plays a key role: With around 1.8 million tons annually, the country has one of the world’s largest date exports and represents 18% of global production (as of 2023). Despite this impressive production volume, Egypt’s share of global date exports remains low—mainly due to high supply chain fragmentation, low market access and lack of infrastructure, making it difficult for Egyptian growers to meet international quality standards.

To address this, the Egyptian government—together with the FAO and the “One Country One Priority Product” (OCOP) initiative—has launched a national strategy for sustainable date palm development (2024–2029). The goal is to expand quality control, professionalize processing, and promote the cultivation of high-value varieties like Medjool. At the same time, national programs have been launched to expand date palm cultivation, with the ambitious target of planting 2.5 million new palms. 

EG for Agriculture (legal name: The Egyptian International Company for Trade and Distribution) is a company actively contributing to this vision—with a clear focus on sustainable value creation, climate-resilient agriculture, the use of renewable energy, education, awarness and principles of the circular economy. The result is a model that is not only comercially viable, but also ecologically and socially impactful. 

Sustainable Value Creation in the Desert: Expansion of an Ecological Date Farm in Egypt 

The project by EG for Agriculture strengthens the local date industry. The existing farm in Egypt’s Western Desert is being developed into a future-oriented production site for premium dates. The aim is to sustainably increase production volume, enable on-site processing, and integrate smallholder farming structures in the region. 

The project is divided into three central measures: 

1. Construction of a Modern Processing Facility 
To meet international export standards, a sorting and packaging line will be established that cleans fresh dates, sorts them by quality and size, and packages them for export according to client specifications, and meeting international quality standards. The new production site also includes construction, installation, and infrastructure measures, as well as the acquisition of all necessary certifications (e.g., ISO) to ensure quality along the entire value chain. 

In addition, the facility enables the production of attractive value-added products intended for both the local and international markets. These include premium refined dates such as chocolate-coated or filled varieties, healthy snack products, as well as date paste, date syrup, date powder, and other processed forms specifically developed for the food and beverage (F&B) industry and agri-industrial further processing. In this way, the date is positioned not only as a fresh product but also as a versatile ingredient – with great potential for innovation and market expansion. 

2. Expansion of Farm Infrastructure 
To expand the cultivation area, approximately 300 additional hectares will be developed – providing space for around 21,000 new Medjool date palms. This includes land leveling and preparation, the expansion of the solar-powered irrigation system, new internal pathways, and a nursery for raising future seedlings. Operating costs related to soil preparation and the introduction of sustainable farming methods are also part of this project. 

3. Financing of Working Capital for Fulfilling Export Contracts 
To fulfill existing export contracts, additional dates will be sourced from small, neighboring farms. This strengthens local producers and gives them access to the international market. In addition, packaging materials will be procured and storage costs covered – a central component for a smooth logistics chain. 

EG for Agriculture actively contributes to 9 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its business model: 

SDG 1 – No Poverty 
EG for Agriculture strengthens the economic independence of local smallholder farmers through a partnership based model that aggregates their harvest and provides access to stable sales channels. Their integration into the value creation process opens up new income opportunities for small farms in a structurally weak region. 

SDG 2 – Zero Hunger 
As a sustainable agricultural enterprise, EG for Agriculture contributes to food security. The company develops climate resilient food systems that produce high quality and nutrient rich dates to meet the growing demand for healthy nutrition. 

SDG 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing 
The company’s main products are dates and date based goods, which are considered natural superfoods. They replace conventional sugar with healthy sweeteners and serve as natural flavoring and coloring agents in health conscious food products. 

SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy 
A large portion of the farm’s energy needs is met through solar power. The use of renewable energy in agricultural production demonstrates how clean energy sources can be successfully deployed in rural areas. 

SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth 
The company creates high quality jobs with fair wages, social benefits, and opportunities for professional development. By investing in infrastructure in an underdeveloped region, it fosters regional economic growth and enables long term employment. 

SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure 
EG for Agriculture invests in modern processing facilities and innovative product development to expand the local date value chain. The company also leverages its business model as a large industrial player in the region, to the benefit of local farmers with whom it partners, thereby strengthening the industrial foundation of the region. 

SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production 
The company relies on resource efficient irrigation systems, minimizes waste through circular economy principles, and utilizes organic byproducts such as palm waste. Sustainable operations are at the core of its production approach. 

SDG 13 – Climate Action 
By planting large numbers of date palms, mahogany, and casuarina trees, EG for Agriculture actively and naturally removes CO₂ from the atmosphere, which is then stored in the tree and soil. This is complemented by agroforestry and regenerative farming methods that contribute to long term soil improvement and climate stability. 

SDG 15 – Life on Land 

Investments in organic date cultivation, solar powered irrigation, and modern processing technologies make a significant contribution to the development of climate resilient agricultural systems in Egypt. By expanding farm infrastructure and enabling local processing, EG for Agriculture not only increases productivity but also reduces emissions along the supply chain. 

Solar Powered Irrigation 
EG for Agriculture relies on solar energy to irrigate its farm in the Bahariya Oasis. The company currently covers approximately 60-70 percent of its energy needs through three existing solar power stations with a combined capacity of 150 kilowatts. These systems power the pumping and distribution of water through the drip irrigation systems across the planted fields of the farm. In the next development phase, solar capacity will be increased to 500 kilowatts, to service newly cultivated fields and reducing CO₂ emissions from operations. 

CO₂ Sequestration Through Reforestation 
A core part of EG’s climate protection strategy is the planting of more than 97,000 trees, including date palms, casuarina, and mahogany. These tree species store carbon in both their biomass and surrounding soil over their lifetime. The long term CO₂ sequestration is currently being scientifically assessed in cooperation with climate and carbon consultants and is expected to serve as the basis for generating certified carbon credits in the future. 

Sustainable Organic Date Farming 
The farm spans 700 feddan (approximately 294 hectares), of which 570 feddan are dedicated to Medjool date cultivation. By 2028, a total of 46,000 date palms are planned to be planted — including 21,000 new trees in the current expansion phase. Cultivation is carried out according to organic principles, focusing on biodiversity, soil health, and circular farming practices. 

Local Processing and Value Creation 
As part of the project, a new processing and packaging facility is being established. This will enable on site cleaning, sorting, and refinement of dates into products such as date paste, date syrup, date powder, or healthy date-based snacks. By doing so, CO₂ intensive raw material handling is avoided, and regional value creation is strengthened.