For This Delicacy, Brand Recognition Is a Problem

Although UN sanctions on Iraq ban all exports except crude oil under the oil-for-food program, Iraqi dates, long prized for their delicious flavors and textures, still manage to make their way out of Iraq to other countries. According to this article in the New York Times, Iraqis use creative methods – such as shipping dates on Iranian-flagged ships and attaching phony labels – to reach markets in Russia and other places. Despite its illegality, "a Western envoy in Baghdad acknowledged that the United Nations did not pay terribly close attention to contraband dates. It interdicts much of what leaves Iraq by sea, but the land borders are fairly porous, especially for products that are not exactly going to supply the secret wealth Iraq would need to develop weapons of mass destruction." The income gained from such black-market dealings may not be enough to fund military ventures, but apparently the draw of global markets is still incentive enough to inspire creativity in Iraq's date industry. – YaleGlobal