World Dried Fruit Production in 2022

World Dried Fruit Production in 2022

As the popularity of dried fruits has surged over the last couple of years, mainly due to their convenience and outstanding nutritional value, their production has reached almost record numbers in 2022, and shows no intention of slowing down. We are well aware that dried fruits, such as dates, raisins, and prunes, have started becoming staples in many diets, mostly for people who are turning to a more health-conscious lifestyle. Naturally, as the demand rises, their production follows suit, however, it has faced a bit of a challenge in the last two years, especially because of COVID. Today, we will take a closer look into this topic, focusing on dates. 

According to Statista, the world dried fruit production in 2022 is estimated to be ~3.1 million metric tons. Compared to last year, which is estimated to be ~3.028 metric tons, this represents a noteworthy increase, with a growth rate of 5%. Leading dried fruit production regions, such as the Middle East, Asia, and North America, are the main contributors to the surge. Additionally, Statista also projects that this number will grow even further, reaching ~3.6 million metric tons in 2026. Furthermore, their market is expected to reach record numbers in the following years. Mainly, dried fruits had a market value of 36.762$ billion in 2020, and by the end of 2027, this number is expected to reach a whopping 51.523$ billion, per Cision PR Newswire. 

Dates are one of the most important dried fruits in the world market, coming in as a close second, just behind raisins. In 2022, their production reached approximately 1.2 million metric tons, accounting for over a third of all dried fruits. The biggest producer is Saudi Arabia, accounting for 16% of their global production, followed by Iran, with an estimated output of 14%. Per IndexBox, Egypt and Tunisia also significantly contributed to their production, amassing over 800,000 and 380,000 metric tons. The global demand for dates, and overall dried fruits, is expected to grow in the following years, mainly because more people are implementing vegan and vegetarian diets in their lifestyle. Moreover, COVID has greatly boosted the demand, as consumers seek more foods with a long shelf-life while carrying exceptional nutritional and health benefits.

However, as their popularity rises, the yielding of dried fruit comes with its own fair share of challenges, mostly related to climate change and water shortage. You may think that their production doesn’t require much water since most of it is extracted, leaving them wrinkley. On the contrary, dried fruit requires large amounts of water, and the regions that face scarcity due to uncontrollable changes in temperature can face difficulties in their production. Nonetheless, rest assured that we will always be able to deliver fresh dates right to your doorstep, no matter the challenges!

We hope that we have provided clear insight into the world dried fruit production of 2022. If you’re a lover of these nutritional delicacies (as you should!), you’ll love knowing the fact that they’re not going away any time soon. For more information on the benefits of dates, their history, as well as recipes, check out the rest of our blog.