Dates: where the export margin is actually won
Published on August 1, 2026
The orchard-gate price explains less than half of the delivered price. The rest is decided in packing, in the cold chain and in three days of waiting at the port.
An exporter comparing their cost base with a competitor's almost always looks at the price paid to the grower. It is the most visible line and it is rarely the one that opens the gap.
On a container of deglet nour shipped to France, the orchard-gate price is between 38% and 45% of the delivered price. Packing is another 12 to 18, depending on whether sorting is manual or semi-automated. The cold chain costs little as long as it holds. A break is paid for in downgrading, and a downgraded lot loses 30% to 40% of its value in a day.
The line few exporters cost out is waiting. Three days standing at the port, on a product worth 4,000 euros a tonne, costs more in tied-up capital and lost quality than the whole of the logistics margin negotiated with the freight forwarder. The operators who make money here are the ones who have fixed the port crossing, not the ones who bought cheapest.
The practical conclusion is an awkward one. The most profitable improvement is not agricultural, it is administrative.
This article in another language
Each version has its own address. Only published versions are listed here.
Comments
We review comments before publishing them under the article.
No comments on this article yet.
Comments are reserved for registered members. Sign in to comment
Reporting is reserved for registered members.