La Unió Llauradora highlighted the fresh, natural dates from Elche, contrasting them with "the dates available in retail outlets in other countries, which are often dried and have a high sugar content."
"It was a weak date season with a harvest of about 60 tons, a drop of over 10% from last year. This decline is mainly due to the rain in October, which forced producers to speed up the harvest to avoid overripe dates and rising humidity that further reduced yields," the organization stated.
© La Unió
Nonetheless, growers remain optimistic about the future, having planted 700 new palm trees that will enhance the crop in a few years. Efforts are also centered on a new late-season variety, Helike, which will extend the season and make dates available for more months beyond Christmas.
"Most dates from Elche are fresh, contain less sugar due to their higher water content, and have a more natural flavor. No sugar is added, and this fruit format is unfamiliar to many people," La Unió stated.
Miguel Ángel Sánchez, President of the Elche Date Growers' Association, emphasized: "Dates from Elche are completely different from the heavily sweetened ones found in stores. They are a fresh product, and once you taste them, you'll never want another type of date. I encourage consumers in the Valencia Region to give them a try."
© La Unió
Dates from Elche are now distributed across Spain through a network of over 160 shops. They are also sold in Belgium and the Netherlands, with plans to expand to Denmark in the future.
The Miguel Hernández University highlighted the nutritional benefits of Elche dates, such as how they trap sugar between fibers, allowing the body to absorb it more slowly, and how the local Confitera variety contains over three times the potassium of a banana, which is typically considered the prime example of a potassium-rich fruit.
For more information:
Miguel Ángel Sánchez
Asociación Productores de Dátiles de Elche
Tel: +34 606 56 65 78
La Unió
Tel: +34 658 92 89 23
Email: [email protected]
https://launio.org
