Rabi

Product Details

Iran is the second largest producer of dates after Egypt. It has an annual production of close to 1,000,000 MT of varieties of table and industrial dates. According to INC stats it is among the top 3 exporters of table dates.

Dates are cultivated in the hot southern regions of Iran. The main areas that produce dates in Iran are Hormozgan 21.6%, Kerman 21.1%, Khusistan 17.6%, Bushehr 13.4%, Beluchestan 12.2%, and Fars 12.3%.

Whole dates are harvested and marketed at three stages of their development (Kharak, Rotab and Tamr) depending on the variety, climatic conditions and market demand. In each stage the color, texture, taste, size and chemical composition of the date fruit changes.

In the first stage the fruit is physiologically mature, hard ripe and the color changes completely from green to greenish yellow, yellow, pink, red or scarlet depending on the variety. It has a watery flesh and traces of tannin, which if high gives the fruit a bitter and astringent taste. This period lasts three to five weeks depending on the variety, with a low average relative weekly increase in fruit weight (3 to 4 %). At the end of this stage, date fruit reaches its maximum weight and size. In this stage the date fruit is called “Kharak”.

In the second stage the fruit has lost some of its moisture and has started the browning process. At this stage the fruit starts ripening from the bottom end. The color spectrum usually shifts from amber to red to dark brown and black. The texture is soft and tender and the sugar content is higher than the previous stage. Date fruit at this stage is called “Rotab”.

In the final stage the fruit is left to the sun to do its magic. This is the stage when the dates are fully ripe, and they completely change color from yellow to dull brown or almost black. The date fruit loses most of its moisture and becomes chewy. The skin adheres to the flesh, and wrinkles as the flesh shrinks. The sugar content increases and the sugar to water proportion is sufficiently high. The date fruit is called “Tamr” or “Khorma”. Most commercially available dates are of Rotab and Tamr varieties.

There are nearly 400 varieties of dates available in Iran but there are only a handful that are commercially available and demanded worldwide. We at Kourosh Dried Fruit and Legumes Industry are able to supply the following varieties in qualities and grades suited to your requirements.