NEW DELHI: Saudi dates are becoming increasingly popular in India, dry fruit traders and the Kingdom’s regulator say, as Indian buyers look for healthier alternatives to sugar and better-quality fruit than the Iranian dates that used to dominate the market.
Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Palms and Dates, the government body responsible for developing the Kingdom’s date industry, said earlier this month that exports to India rose 25 percent in 2025 from a year earlier, “yielding numerous benefits for the sector and supporting its expansion into further global markets.”
Indian importers have also seen a similar rise in local demand, especially for Safawi dates — known in India as Kalami — and Sukkari.
“Saudi dates’ quality and price are both competitive,” said Tariq Tabrez, owner of the Hindustan Foreign Traders, who has been importing dates to the Indian market since 2012.
“Their quality and price are balanced. If you compare them with Iranian dates, the quality of Iranian dates is not as good. Mazafati dates from Iran are not as good as Sukkari dates from Saudi Arabia. Saudi dates have a longer shelf life and better quality.”
