The Date, our product par excellence and symbol of quality and tradition

The word date comes from the greek "finger" dáktulos, due to its elongated shape.

The dates are cylindrical-oval, 3 to 7 cm. long and 2 to 3 cm. in diameter, and when not yet ripe their color ranges from bright red to bright yellow, depending on the variety. They contain a single seed 2 to 2.5 cm. long and 6 to 8 mm. thick.
This fruit is not dried but dried in the sun on the same plant and then harvested.

Fruit clusters are harvested from the ground, with short ladders, until the palm trees are 10 to 15 years old and then with ladders or platforms permanently attached to the trunks.

The date, during its formation, which is about 5 to 6 months, passes through 4 stages or ages whose names are: Kimri, Khalal, Rutab and Tamar.

A small number of dates are harvested in the "Khalal" stage (partial maturity) which are yellow or red (depending on the grower), but there are many consumers who consider them astringent (high tannin content). Most dates are harvested in the "Rutab" and "Tamar" stages of full maturity, where they have higher sugar content, lower moisture content, lower tannins content and are softer than in the "Khalal" stage.

Dried dates are kept in cool, dry places for several months, even a year. Soft varieties in the refrigerator are preserved for two weeks. The optimal relative humidity of this fruit is between 20-25%.