Challenges and Weaknesses in Arab Date Export Value Chains: Economic Impacts - Confrontation strategies

This study tries to answer the main question of the research problem: how can Arab countries overcome the challenges that face the development of their exporting Date value chains? The study used a descriptive-analytical scientific research approach, which included both qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as inductive and deductive analysis. The study focused on the following countries: UAE - Tunisia - Saudi Arabia - Algeria - Iraq - Egypt - Jordan – Sultanate of Oman – Sudan. The study depends on the data and information provided by international development organizations, most notably: the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Trade Center, Trade Map, in addition to referring to books, studies, reports, research, periodicals, and websites. In addition to the previous general framework, the study includes six sections, the first section of the study dealt with the challenges facing the value chains for exporting Arab dates, through a SWOT analysis of the studied date value chains. The second section dealt with a statistical analysis of some indicators negatively affecting the studied chains. The third section dealt with the principles of food value chain development, while the fourth section dealt with the leading strategic model for the development and growth of the palm and dates sector in the United Arab Emirates, while the fifth section focused on Discussion of study assumptions and the analyses that were conducted proved the validity of the study assumptions. Finally, the sixth section provides the suggested strategy from the study for developing a sustainable value chain for date export. In conclusion, the study reached several results and recommendations: the most important results of the study were addressing the challenges facing exporting date value chains and their effects, explaining strategies to overcome these challenges in the studied countries. The most important recommendation of the study was the adoption of the suggested strategic plan to overcome the studied challenges. The study presented an action plan for its recommendations, including the implementation mechanism and the party or parties responsible for implementation. The study appendix (1) included the most important Statistics and indicators on dates production and exporting in the Arab world and internationally, while appendix (2) included the most important global models for developing food value chains.