The United Arab Emirates is set to establish three modern date processing plants in Pakistan under a new cooperation framework that will soon be formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding. This strategic collaboration aims to enhance Pakistan’s date industry by improving value addition, processing capacity, and export competitiveness in global markets.
Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain met with UAE officials to discuss project details and the roadmap for implementation. During the discussions, both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening agricultural cooperation and developing agribusiness infrastructure to support sustainable economic growth. The UAE delegation highlighted its interest in investing in Pakistan’s date sector due to the country’s high production potential and favorable agro-climatic conditions.
The planned processing plants will be established in Sindh and Balochistan, Pakistan’s leading date-producing regions known for premium varieties such as Aseel, Begum Jangi, and Rabbi dates. The initiative will provide farmers and local producers access to advanced processing, packaging, and storage technologies that meet international export standards. This development is expected to significantly increase the value chain efficiency, reduce post-harvest losses, and create new employment opportunities in rural areas.
Pakistan currently produces over 500,000 tonnes of dates annually, ranking among the top date-producing countries in the world. Despite its strong production base, the country’s exports stand at around $50 million per year, primarily due to limited processing infrastructure. The new UAE-backed plants aim to address this gap by enabling Pakistan to diversify its product range and reach high-value markets across the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
The collaboration marks a major step toward strengthening Pakistan-UAE agricultural ties and supporting Pakistan’s vision of modernizing its agri-food sector through international investment and technology transfer. Once the MoU is signed, work on the plants is expected to begin soon, paving the way for a stronger and more competitive date industry in Pakistan.