Dates SEASONAL AVAILABILITY CALIFORNIA NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA BRAZIL CYPRUS EGYPT FRANCE GREECE ISRAEL PERU PORTUGAL SPAIN TURKEY References: California Fig Advisory Board/California Fresh Fig Growers Association, University of California, Los Angeles. TYPES & VARIETIES Dates (Phoenix dactylifera) are the sweet fruit of a palm tree and believed to have originated in the Middle East centuries ago. They were brought to the Americas, specifically California and Mexico, in the 1760s and have been cultivated ever since. Dates are categorized as soft, semisoft, and dry depending on moisture content at the time of ripeness or harvest. Dry dates are also called bread dates. Exterior color of the fruit can vary from yellow to red or amber, as well as dark brown and nearly black. Skin thickness, texture, and sweetness depend on variety. Size generally ranges from 1 to 3 inches. Well over a thousand varieties of dates can be found around the world; among the popular are Abada, Amhat, Barthee, Bentaisha, Halawy, and Honey for soft dates (those with up to 30% moisture); Amry, Dayri, Deglet Noor, Khalasa, the well-known Medjool (very popular in the United States), Sewy, and Zahidi for semisoft (from 20 to 30% moisture); and Badraya, Bartamoda, Deglet Beida, Horra, Saokoty, and Thoory for dry dates (less than 20% moisture content). References: Purdue University, UC Davis Postharvest technology website, University of California Berkeley School of Public Health. www.producebluebook.com Know Your Commodity Guide
PESTS & DISEASE DATES Red scale is roughly the size of a small pinhead, roundish in shape, and deep pink to dark red in color, but partly or entirely covered with a white waxy secretion that forms a cottony mass. It usually stays out of sight, hiding out of the light on the white tissues at the base of leaves and fruit stalks. It can also be found on roots underground. Leaves of infested date palms are often found to be clotted over with thin, grayish scales with darker centers. The darker spot is oval in outline and is the body of the insect itself. Heavy infestations could cause complete coverage of the leaf surfaces by scales, which will result in interference with the metabolic functions of the plant. The carob moth lays its eggs on dates, and hatching begins four days later. The larvae attack dates, boring into them and ruining the fruit, and can be found in packing houses and stores in addition to plantations. The rhinoceros beetle is shiny black in color with a reddish under-surface covered with short, fine hair. It s about five centimeters in length and earns its name from the horn-like structure protruding from its head. Adults, which feed on tender leaves, inflorescences, and fruit stalks, are responsible for causing palm damage. They remain hidden during the day and fly to the tops of the date palm trees at night, drilling large holes close to the base of the growing heart-leaf and entering the stem. They feed on the soft tissues of the heart-leaf and cut right through it, stopping growth and eventually killing the palm. The beetle also bores into fronds, chewing tissues and throwing them out as a fibrous, dry mass. Termites feed on cellulose matter, starting from the root zone and base of offshoots. They make vertical canals through the base to reach the stem, causing the death of newly planted offshoots. The may also make galleries in the trunks of weak palms, causing them to collapse entirely. The symptoms of black scorch disease found on date palms are usually expressed in four forms: black scorch on the leaves, inflorescence blight, heart or trunk rot, and bud rot. Infections are all characterized by partial to complete necrosis of the tissues. Typical lesions are dark brown to black, hard, carbonaceous, and, as a mass, give the petioles, fruit strands, and fruit stalks a scorched, charcoal-like appearance. Decay is most serious when the disease attacks the terminal bud and heart, leading to the death of the palm. The main indications of diplodia disease are yellowish-brown streaks extending along the leaf base. Symptoms are severe on offshoots, and are characterized by death either while they are still attached to the mother palm or after they have been detached and planted out. The fungus may infect the outside leaves and finally kill younger leaves and the terminal bud, or the central cluster may become infected and die before the older leaves. Graphiola leaf spot is caused by a fungus in small subepidermal spots on both sides of the leaves. The fruiting structures emerge as small, yellow-brown to black sori. The sori are abundant on three-year-old leaves, conspicuous on two-year-old leaves, and absent or infrequent on year-old leaves due to the ten- to eleven-month incubation cycle for this pathogen. The normal six- to eight-year life of date palm fronds is reduced to three years with this disease, and heavily affected leaves die even sooner, which reduces the yield of the palm. Omphalia root rot is also known as a decline disease because of its association with declining date palms. The main characteristics of the disease are the premature death of palm fronds, followed by retardation and cessation of growth. Necrosis and destruction of the tree roots are the final symptoms, resulting in a nonproductive palm. Lethal yellowing got its name from its symptoms on coconut trees, which turn yellow when attacked by the causal pathogen. In date palms, however, fronds become desiccated and gray-brown, rather than yellow. A soft rot of the growing point occurs, converting the area in to a putrid, slimy mass. The crown topples from the palm, leaving a naked trunk. Symptoms of dry bone include whitish, irregular blots and streaks on the leaf stalks, midribs, and pinnae that become outlined by reddish brown margins. The surface of the leaf dries out, resulting in a hard, smooth, and white appearance. Lesions appear only on the epidermis and a thin layer of subjacent tissue. GRADES & TOLERANCES Dates fall into several different grades by quality and size: U.S. Grade A (or Fancy ), U.S. Grade B (or Choice ), or U.S. Grade C. Dry dates fall into two categories: U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice and U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard. www.producebluebook.com Know Your Commodity Guide
GRADES & TOLERANCES CONTINUED For U.S. Grade A: Whole or pitted dates are of one variety, possess a good color, are practically uniform in size, are practically free from defects, and possess a good character. Not more than a total of 10 percent, by weight of the dates, may be damaged by discoloration, broken skin, checking, deformity, puffiness, scars, sunburn, mechanical injury, or other defects. Not more than a total of 10 percent may be seriously damaged by checking or puffiness. Not more than a total of 10 percent may be affected by souring, mold, dirt, insect infestation, foreign material, or decay. Not more than three-fifths of the total allowance, or 6 percent, by weight of the dates, may be damaged by side spot, black scald, improper ripening, or other defects. Not more than three-fifths, or 6 percent, may be affected by souring, mold, dirt, insect infestation, foreign material, or decay. Not more than two-fifths of the total allowance, or 4 percent, by weight of the dates, may be damaged by improper ripening or other defects. Not more than two-fifths, or 4 percent, may be affected by souring, mold, dirt, insect infestation, foreign material, or decay. Not more than one-tenth of the total allowance, or 1 percent, by weight of the dates, may be affected by decay. For U.S. Grade B: Whole or pitted dates (other than whole dry dates for processing) are of one variety, possess a reasonably good color, are reasonably uniform in size, are reasonably free from defects, and possess a reasonably good character. Not more than 15 percent, by weight of the dates, may be seriously damaged by checking. Not more than 20 percent may be damaged by broken skin. Not more than a total of 15 percent, by weight of the dates, may be damaged by deformity, puffiness, scars, sunburn, mechanical injury, or other defects. Not more than a total of 15 percent may be seriously damaged by puffiness. Not more than a total of 15 percent may be affected by souring, mold, dirt, insect infestation, foreign material, or decay. Not more than two-thirds of the additional allowance, or 10 percent, by weight of the dates, may be damaged by lack of pollination, blacknose, side spot, black scald, improper ripening, or other defects. Not more than two-thirds, or 10 percent, may be affected by souring, mold, dirt, insect infestation, foreign material, or decay. Not more than one-third of the additional allowance, or 5 percent, by weight of the dates, may be damaged by improper ripening or other defects. Not more than one-third, or five percent, may be affected by souring, mold, dirt, insect infestation, foreign material, or decay. Not more than one-fifteenth of the additional allowance, or 1 percent, by weight of the dates, may be affected by decay. DATES For U.S. Grade B (Dry): Whole dry dates for processing are of one variety, possess a reasonably good color, are reasonably uniform in size, are reasonably free from defects, and possess a reasonably good character. Allowances and limitations are identical to those of U.S. Grade B. For U.S. Grade C: Whole or pitted dates (other than whole dry dates for processing) are of one variety or of date pieces or macerated dates, possess a fairly good color, are fairly uniform in size except for pieces or macerated dates, are fairly free from defects, and possess a fairly good character. Not more than a total of 20 percent, by weight of the dates, may be damaged by deformity, scars, sunburn, mechanical injury, or other defects. Not more than a total of 20 percent may be seriously damaged by puffiness. Not more than a total of 20 percent may be affected by souring, mold, dirt, insect infestation, foreign material, or decay. Not more than one-half of the total allowance, or 10 percent, by weight of the dates, may be damaged by lack of pollination, blacknose, side spot, black scald, improper ripening, or other defects. Not more than one-half, or 10 percent, may be affected by souring, mold, dirt, insect infestation, foreign material, or decay. www.producebluebook.com Know Your Commodity Guide
DATES GRADES & TOLERANCES CONTINUED Not more than one-quarter of the total allowance, or 5 percent, by weight of the dates, may be affected by souring, mold, dirt, insect infestation, foreign material, or decay. Not more than one-tenth of the total allowance, or 2 percent, by weight of the dates, may be affected by decay. For U.S. Grade C (Dry): Whole dry dates for processing are of one variety, possess a fairly good color, are fairly uniform in size, are fairly free from defects, and possess a fairly good character. Allowances and limitations are identical to those of U.S. Grade C. DATES: WEEKLY MOVEMENTS & PRICES, USA Source: Chart by Gallo Torrez Agricultural Price Trends (GTAPT), mgallo@markfinstrat.com, compiled from USDA data. QUALITY & CONDITION NOTES Fruit growth is usually divided into five stages of development known by the Arabic terms hababouk, kimri, khalal, rutab, and tamr. Most dates are harvested at the tamr stage, when the fruit has about 60 to 80% sugar content. At this stage, fruit can be harvested soft, semisoft, or dry, depending on destination and use. Some varieties with low tannins but rich in sugar can be harvested at the khalal stage. High-quality fresh dates should have small pits and thick flesh. They should be free of dirt, sand, and leaf particles; bird, insect, and rodent damage; fungi and mold infestation; sugar crystal formation; or any other apparent alterations. The skin of dates should be smooth, with little or no shriveling; and a gold-brown, amber, green, or black color depending on variety. The texture may be soft and syrupy or firm and dry, depending on the cultivar. At the optimal storage temperature of 32 F with 75% humidity, soft dates can be stored for up to 6 months, while semisoft dates can last up to a year. Dates are not sensitive to chilling injury, but do produce ethylene. Currently, there are no U.S. or Canadian good arrival guidelines published for this commodity. References: Purdue University Horticulture Department, UC Davis Postharvest Technology website, USDA. www.producebluebook.com Know Your Commodity Guide