The first load of new Tunisian dates is on its way to Tovano in the Netherlands. "It left this weekend, and we should get the dates today," says Richard Strijbis, who visited his Tunisian supplier Haifa Dates last week.
"It's good to see how the crop is looking. I saw good dates hanging on the trees, and volumes are on par with last year. The temperature fluctuations mean you always lose some kilos after quality selection, but fortunately, good quality ones remain."
"Our customers can choose to receive the dates under our or their own brand. We get dates from Tunisia throughout the year, with weekly fresh supplies, so we can always supply our clients," Richard explains. The dried fruit and nut trader no longer carries Algerian dates. "That became too challenging, quality and certifications-wise."
Tovano supplements its range with Israeli dates. "That was nerve-wracking for a while because of the war, but luckily, we have dates on the water again. And another boat is scheduled for next week. Not all facilities are running at full capacity, but they're to keep everything going," says the importer.
"We're also expecting the first unshelled Diamond walnuts within three or four weeks. This is generally a nice time leading up to Christmas with the required fresh supply. We're currently receiving plenty of figs from our Turkish shipper, Ephesus, too. That harvest didn't quite pan out and is, thus, quite pricey, but the quality is top-notch," Richard concludes.
For more information:
Richard Strijbis
Tovano
47 Transportweg
4676 LM, Maasdijk, NL
Tel.: +31 (0) 174 528 333
Email: richard@tovano.nl
Website: www.tovano.nl