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CHATTOGRAM, Feb 25, 2025 (BSS) - The prices of different varieties of dates have dropped by 30 to 40 percent as import has witnessed a surge following a duty cut by 10 percent.  

While talking to BSS during a visit to Falmondi at Station Road and Reazuddin Bazar, the main domestic and imported fruit selling points in Chattogram, importers and wholesale-traders said that there is no chance of further increase in date prices like previous years before or during Ramadan. Rather, the price is likely to fall further during Ramadan. 

Usually Iraqi Zayedi dates are in highest demand among many varieties of imported dates due to its reasonable price range.  

As the month of Ramadan approaches, the prices of dates increase dramatically every year. Last year, the prices of dates were beyond the reach of fasting people. 

Market sources said the lower income group people used to eat small size soft dates locally known as “soft plums dates’, price of which has been decreased by Tk 30-Tk 40 per kilogram to Tk 120-Tk 130, prices of Zayedi dates have been decreased by Tk 150-Tk 180 and the dates are now being sold at Tk 350-Tk 370 per kg, prices of popular and tasty Ajowa dates have been declined by Tk 200-Tk 250 per kg and now the prices of the dates are varying from Tk 600 to Tk 800, prices of Medjol dates have been decreased by Tk 300-Tk 450 per kg and the dates are now available at Tk 900 – Tk 950 per kg in the market while prices of Mabrum dates have been decreased by Tk 400 and retailers are selling the date at Tk 1,200 per kg. 

 A 10-kg carton of Iraqi Zayedi dates, which are in high demand, are being sold at Tk 1,700-Tk 1,800 at wholesale level. Traders hinted that the prices of the dates may fall further within the next few days. 

Senior Vice President of Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers Association Md. Kamal Uddin said small importers have imported a huge quantity of dates this year as the government cut the import duty and provided other facilities, including lessening of US Dollar margin in opening L/Cs.

Last year, US dollar crisis as well as fluctuation in exchange rates, liquidity shortage and other restrictions in LC opening drove out the small importers from the market that turned the date market into a fertile field for unscrupulous syndicates that led to price escalation of dates of all varieties.       
Md Mohiuddin, general secretary of the Chaktai-Khatunganj Aratdar General Traders' Association said both buyers and sellers are satisfied with the current market situation. 

He blamed Haji Selim’s Medina Firm and Nazrul Islam Majumder’s NASA for creating artificial crisis and manipulating dates market last year by controlling entire market. 

 “Due to the relaxation of various conditions including the margin for opening Letters of Credit, small importers have got the opportunity to do business this year. So, buyers have nothing to worry about the date market during Ramadan,” he added.

 Md Sumon, a trader at Reazuddin Bazar, said, “This year, the prices of dates are already low. There is a possibility to fall the prices further, he added.

“Everyone blames only the traders for the price. But this year the way the government is monitoring it, there is no chance of the price increasing. This time the price of dates will be low even at the beginning of Ramadan. It may decrease further,” he added.

According to the Fresh Fruits Association, the annual demand for dates in the country is 60 to 90 thousand tons. 

Only 40 thousand tons of dates are required during the month of Ramadan. Dates are mainly imported from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan.

 Of these, Iraqi Zayedi dates are on the top of the demand list. In the last 48 days, 31,643 metric tons of dates of different varieties were imported targeting the Ramadan, which is more than 75 percent of the total demand of Ramadan.  

According to the Shanga Nirod Kendra of Chattogram Port Authority, imported dates have  started reaching at port from two months back targeting Ramadan as these are the perishable products. As a result, against the import of more than 54,353 metric tons in the 60 days before Ramadan last year, genuine importers have cautiously imported 37,570 metric tons this year ahead of Ramadan and 18 to 20 thousand metric tons more dates are in the pipeline, which is expected to arrive before and during Ramadan.