Jakarta – As Ramadan progresses, Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, has been relying heavily on date imports from Egypt and Saudi Arabia to meet the high demand for this staple fasting-month fruit. According to recent data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), these two countries have emerged as Indonesia’s leading suppliers of dates.
With nearly three weeks of Ramadan already passed, dates remain an essential component of iftar, the meal Muslims eat to break their fast. Official reports indicate a significant surge in Indonesia’s date imports leading up to the holy month, reflecting an effort to cater to the increasing demand. BPS revealed on Monday that in the first two months of 2025, Indonesia imported approximately 32,890 tons of dates, amounting to nearly $38.8 million.
February alone saw Indonesia bringing in 16,469 tons of dates, valued at almost $18.1 million. Over half of these imports originated from Egypt.
“In February, we imported 9,240 tons of dates from Egypt, making up 56.12 percent of our total date imports that month,” stated BPS chief Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti during a press briefing.
She further elaborated, “From January to February, Indonesia imported a total of 19,390 tons of dates from Egypt, accounting for 58.95 percent of the foreign date supply during this period.”
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Following Egypt, Saudi Arabia ranked as Indonesia’s second-largest date provider, supplying around 2,690 tons in February, which equates to 16.3 percent of total imports. The kingdom also retained its second-place position in cumulative imports, contributing nearly 13.9 percent of the total dates brought into Indonesia in the first two months of 2025.
Another key player in Indonesia’s date imports is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with whom Indonesia has a free trade agreement. In February, Indonesia sourced 1,190 tons of dates from the UAE, accounting for approximately 7.2 percent of total imports. Over the two-month period, Emirati dates constituted nearly 9 percent of the country’s total imports.
Beyond their traditional role in Ramadan iftar meals, dates have also been integrated into Indonesia’s government-sponsored free school meal program. This initiative, a key component of President Prabowo Subianto’s campaign commitments, has been in effect for the past three months. Typically featuring warm meals such as chicken and rice dishes, the program has made adjustments for Ramadan, incorporating long-lasting items like dates to ensure students have nutritious options for iftar. Non-Muslim students continue to receive meals as part of the program, even though they do not partake in fasting.
With demand for dates soaring during Ramadan, Indonesia’s reliance on foreign suppliers underscores the fruit’s significance in local traditions and government initiatives alike.