date

The term date (Khorma) has a Persian root which has been loaned to other languages such as Indian, Urdu, Turkish, Indonesian, and Malaysian. These sweet fruits are packed with plenty of nutrients, making them an excellent snack in moderation.

Palm date, monocotyledon and indigenous to tropical regions, has huge leaves and is categorized as palm trees. Date belongs to the family of berry whose entire fleshy part is edible and nutritious. It has been an integral part of human’s diet since ancient times. Its edible fruit has a hard seed, a thin skin, and a sweet taste which hangs on a palm in the form of a cluster. The height of the palm is 10 to 20 meters or more sometimes.

Dried Date: It refers to a ripe date which moisture is below 15%

Semi Dried Date: It refers to a ripe date with the moisture between 15% to 18%

Fresh Date: It refers to a ripe date with the moisture between 18% to 35%

The origins of date production and use in Iran go back to about 4000 BC. Today, more than 400 types of date and various kinds of date-based foods are consumed by people. In recent years Iran has been one of the leading Countries in date production in the world, with annual production of about 900000 metric tons. Date palm is grown mainly in South, South East, and South West of Iran where a good opportunity and a large potential for trade exists. In areas where frosts do not occur the date palm is the most characteristic representative of irrigation agriculture.

Around 350,000 tons of dates worth $300 million have been exported from Iran since the beginning of the 2018 which shows 30% growth compared with last year( Source: Financial Tribune)

Russia, India, East Asia, Canada and some European countries are the main export destinations for Iranian Dates.

Mazafati Date is one of Iranian dates types which is known as Bam Date or Rotab Date. This wet date is the most popular and biggest-selling soft date fruit in the world. Organic Mozafati date has an attractive appearance with the great taste and flavor for the majority of Mozafati consumers. The Soft texture, pleasant black color, delicious flavor and high moisture are all of the special features of this Rotab date. Mozafati Dates are available in two types: Fresh & Semi Fresh.

Zahedi (Zahidi) Date can be considered as the most frequently used kind of Date fruit in Iran. The Date is a wet and dry fruit with yellowish color that is so effective for diabetic patients because of the low percent of sugar. Zahedi date comes in 2 types: Wet Zahidi Date and Dry Zahidi Date that can be kept at room temperature for more than 1 year.

Piarom Date or Maryami Date is another type of Iranian semi-dried Date. This Date is cultivated organically and free of pesticides and chemicals. Piarom Dates have dark brown skin which is fully attached to the flesh. Piarom Date is one of the most expensive varieties of date in the world same as Medjool Date. The moisture of Piarom date is under 15 % that can be kept at room temperature for more than 1 year.

Rabbi Dates is kind of dates which are soft, dark brown in color and long in size. This date is semi-dried with moisture under %15. Shelf life is about one year at the room temperature under interim fumigation.

Kabkab Date is one of the most important and most delicious type of semi dry dates in the world. This wet date is very sweet in taste, soft in texture, dark brown in skin color. Kabkab dates come in two types: uncompressed Kabkab dates & compressed Kabkab Date.

Sayer Date (Stamaran Date) is one of the exports Iranian Date that is allocated around 40% of total export of Date fruit to itself. The Date is a semi-arid fruit whose color is yellow but at ripening stage is amber-colored and reddish brown. Stamaran Dates have great popularity in Russia, Canada, Australia, England Zealand because of high sugar and low cellulose. Sayer dates have max 16% of moisture with the shelf life more than 12 months if store at good condition. Kabkab dates are consumed more internally and partly of them export to different countries such as the United States, Russia, India, Pakistan and other countries.

Shahani date is one of the date types in Iran. This date is Long and cylindrical with size of 3 – 5 cm. Shahani date color is yellow to light brown with moisture under 25%. Shahani dates due to high amount of sweets and low-price export to different countries such as India, UAE, Denmark, Bahrain, Germany, Oman, Afghanistan and other countries. Shahani date uses more in compressed shape with the shelf life of one year.