Harvesting of Medjool dates began in California this week, and growers are seeing positive signs. Good growing conditions have contributed to what looks to be good production this season, which is expected to last through late-October.“The size of the crop looks good and we expect big, plump dates coming in,” said Ben Antongiovanni of Atlas Produce and Distribution, which markets its dates under the Caramel Naturel brand. “A lot of it has to do with good growing practices, and we've also had long, hot days in the Coachella Valley. That weather has been optimal and has contributed to a good crop.” Atlas Produce's Medjool date crop this season is on track to be 20 percent larger than last season's crop thanks to plantings that matured this season.
“Demand has increased over the last five years,” said Antongiovanni. “It takes three to six years for date plantings to come into production, so the new dates that came in this year were planted four or five years ago. We saw an opportunity to plant more about five years ago, and we now have supplies to cover increasing demand.”
Organics becoming more popular
Part of the growing appeal of dates has to do with the health benefits of them. Antongiovanni notes that health-conscious consumers are opting for the natural sweetness of dates over processed snacks. Those same consumers often prefer their healthy snacks to also be organic.
“We noticed a few years ago that a lot of the health-conscious people are also reaching for organic products, so we do have a lot more organic production coming into play,” said Antongiovanni. “About 70 percent of our current production is conventional and 30 percent of it is organic. Most of our new plantings are organic, so, hopefully, we'll get to 50 percent organic in the next few years.”
For more information:
Ben Antongiovanni
Atlas Produce and Distribution
+1 661 322 6800