Pakistani Dates Suppliers

Dates Crop in Pakistan

About Dates

“Studies have shown that dates contain certain stimulants which strengthen the muscles of the uterus in the last months of pregnancy. This assists in the dilation of the uterus at the time of delivery. In Surah Maryam, Allah provided Sayyidah Maryam (peace be upon her) with dates when she was experiencing discomfort and pain during the final stages of her pregnancy. Dates are also recommended for women in the postpartum period and during lactation due to its value as a nutritious, high-energy food.”

Dates Overview

Dates are an iconic part of Muslim culture and one of the few fruits mentioned repeatedly in the holy Quran. In fact, dates production is mainly concentrated in the Muslim world especially the Middle East. Dates are a very nutritious and delicious fruit containing mainly carbohydrates and several types of sugars but also proteins, vitamins, and minerals. A kilogram of dates contains 2500-3000 calories. Pakistan is the 4th largest producer of dates with total annual production at around 650,000 tons in the form of over 300 varieties. Of the many varieties produced in Pakistan, Aseel, Karblain, and Kupro are considered the best varieties of Sindh. Begum Jhangi and Mozavati are the best varieties of Balochistan while Dhakki is the best variety of Dera Ismail Khan in KPK. Sindh alone contributes more than 55% of the total date’s production in Pakistan and the share is on the rise. In Sindh, the highest concentration of date palm is in Khairpur district where date palm trees grow like weeds and produce about 90% of dates in the province.

History of Date

Date palm is one of the oldest plants cultivated by man and its origin is thought to be Mesopotamia (Iraq), Gulf region or Indus Civilization. The presence of date fruits in the excavation of Moen-jo-Daro storage vases indicates the presence of date palm cultivation in Sindh as early as 2000 B.C (Jandan, 1974). Whereas, silicified seeds or mineralized date stones of 6000 B.C have been tested from Mehargarh IB and IIB sites of Pakistan (Costantini, 1985). On the other hand some scholars believed that date palm have been brought to the Indo-Pak subcontinent by Alexander the great (Pasha et al., 1972 and Nixon, 1951). While it is general concept among scholars that dates were probably introduced in Sindh by Forces of Mohammed Bin Qasim in 712 A.D. Because, since the dawn of ancient history, the Date Palm has been an important source of food for the Arabian Peninsula (Popenoe, 1913). They threw date seeds at camping places during wars from which date palm grew and flourished in the Indus valley.

General Description

Date palm belongs to family Arecaceae, is a monocot, perennial plant extensively cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. The fruit is a drupe known as a date. The term Phoenix dactylifera L. was given by Carolus Linnaeus in his binomial nomenclature in 1753. The term Dactylifera is derived from the Greek word “Dactylor” which means “finger”. Date palm being a dioecious plant is conventionally propagated through its offshoots because propagation through its seeds will not bring the true to type progeny of Date Palm. However Plant tissue culture is a new and fast growing method for propagation of date palm and is practicing in many date palm growing regions, including Sindh, where a well established institute namely “Date Palm Research Institute, Khairpur” is working on various aspects of date palm including its propagation through plant tissue culture.

Date Palm likes a warm climate where summers are considerably longer than winters. As per an Arabic saying the date palm should be grown with its feet in running water and its head in fire. Date Palm prefers a rainfall of 200 to 250 mm; late rains during flowering and ripening periods are harmful for date palm. Date palm requires sandy loam and clayey loam soils and can tolerate soils with high levels of salts up to 22,000 parts per million (Gepts, 2002).

Date Palm may reach an age of 100-150 years and height of 100-120 feet or 30 m (Gepts, 2002). Normally the useful age limit is less and consequently the height will not be more than 15-20 m maximum before it will cut down because of declining yield and increasing difficulty and danger to reach the crown during pollination, bunch management and harvesting. Dates are naturally wind pollinated in both traditional oasis and horticulture but in the modern commercial orchards they are entirely pollinated manually. Natural pollination occurs with about an equal number of male and female plants. However, with assistance, male flowers from a single tree can be used to pollinate 40 to 50 female date palms (Rani et al.,2007).

The Main Stages in The Date Palm Life Cycle Are,

Sowing, Planting, Growth

Suitable age of suckers for transplanting	2-3 years
Time to start bearing fruits	4-5 years
Time to full production	6-8 years
Full productivity but no more offshoots formation	30-35 years
Declining fruit yields after	50 years
Declining fruit yields after	50 years
Time of transplanting	Whole year, specially May to July
Time of flowering	Feb to March
Time of harvest	July to Oct

The dates in one growing season take 200-210 days from pollination to full fruit maturation (Saleem, 2004). According to Al-Hooti et al., (1997) fruit maturation undergoes through four major stages, identified by their Arabic names as:

Kimri

Small green, hard texture, non edible with high moisture approximately 80%.

Khalal

(Doka stage): Bright yellow or red in color, hard and crisp, physiologically mature, moisture contents 50-85%.3.

Rutab

(Dang stage): Partially browned and softened at the tip and reduced moisture contents to 30-35%.4.

Tamar

(Pind or Chuhhara stage): Color from Amber to dark brown, texture from soft pliable to firm, moisture content reduced below 25%down to 10% and less.

Dates Area and Province Wise Production for The Last 10 Years

Introduction

Dates are believed to have originated around the Persian Gulf, and have been cultivated for thousands of years. They have been the staple food of the Middle East. The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm in the genus Phoenix, cultivated for its edible nutritive sweet fruit. It is a medium-sized plant, 15–25 m tall, growing singly or forming a clump with several stems from a single root system. The leaves are 3–5 m long, with spines on the petiole, and pinnate, with about 150 leaflets; the leaflets are 30 cm long and 2 cm wide. The full span of the crown ranges from 6 to 10 m. Dates are oval-cylindrical, 3–7 cm long, and 2–3 cm diameter, and when unripe, range from bright red to bright yellow in color, depending on variety. Dates contain a single seed about 2–2.5 cm long and 6–8 mm thick.

The date palm is dioecious, having separate male and female plants. They can be easily grown from seed, but only 50% of seedlings will be female and hence fruit bearing, and dates from seedling plants are often smaller and of poorer quality. Most commercial plantations thus use cuttings of heavily cropping cultivars. Plants grown from cuttings will fruit 2–3 years earlier than seedling plants.

Dates are naturally wind pollinated but in both traditional oasis horticulture and in the modern commercial orchards they are entirely pollinated manually. Natural pollination occurs with about an equal number of male and female plants. However, with assistance, one male can pollinate up to 100 females. Since the males are of value only as pollinators, this allows the growers to use their resources for many more fruit producing female plants. Some growers do not even maintain any male plants as male flowers become available at local markets at pollination time. Manual pollination is done by skilled laborers on ladders. Dates ripen in four stages, which are known throughout the world by their Arabic names kimri (unripe), khlal (full-size, crunchy), rutab (ripe, soft), tamr (ripe, sun-dried).

Table 1: Dates Area Under Cultivation for Last 10 Years (Area ‘000’ Acres)

Year	Sindh	Punjab	Khyber Pakthunkhwa	Baluchistan	Pakistan
2000-01	28.17	57.08	2.47	106.5	194.23
2001-02	28.32	57.74	2.53	105.32	193.9
2002-03	20.92	62.46	3.06	105.97	192.41
2003-04	14.12	63.05	3.24	104.4	184.82
2004-05	14.31	65.34	3.39	118.92	201.96
2005-06	14.32	65.93	3.4	118.95	202.61
2006-07	14.56	72.31	3.43	118.99	209.29
2007-08	14.67	79.09	3.52	125.45	222.73
2008-09	14.77	80.08	3.54	125.69	224.07
2009-10	14.83	80.56	3.46	125.04	223.88

Table 2: Province Wise Dates Production for Last 10 Years (Production ‘000’ Tonnes.)

Year	Sindh	Punjab	Khyber Pakthunkhwa	Baluchistan	Pakistan
2000-01	97.9	266	6.6	242	612.5
2001-02	94.12	288.9	6.69	240.57	630.28
2002-03	62.11	317.1	8.15	237.68	625.04
2003-04	41.69	151.61	8.59	224.93	426.82
2004-05	42.71	318.23	9.3	252.16	622.4
2005-06	42.58	192.81	8.87	252.32	496.58
2006-07	43.16	201.02	9.97	172.13	426.28
2007-08	44.36	253.09	10.38	249.69	557.52
2008-09	44.61	261.95	11.34	248.59	566.49
2009-10	44.7	265.3	11.3	209.9	531.2

Importance of Dates

Date fruits being sweet and most nutritious supplying 2500-3000Calories/kg (Amin, 2007) consumed as a staple food because the sugar content of ripe dates is about 80%; the remainder consists of protein, fat and mineral products including copper, sulphur, iron, magnesium and fluoric acid. Dates are high in fiber and an excellent source of potassium.

Date palm with its unique characteristics can truly be called the “tree of life “ because date palm has been so closely connected with the survival and well being of humans living in hot and arid environments. Without the existence of the date palm, expansion of human race into the hot and barren part of the ancient world would have been much more restricted.

Every part of the date palm tree has its uses. The wood and leaves provide timber and fabric for houses and fences. The leaves are used for making ropes, fans, mats, hats, cord, baskets, crates and furniture. Bases of the leaves and the fruit stalks are used as fuel. The fruit yields food products such as date vinegar, date chutney or sweet pickle, date paste for bakery products etc.

The Date palm has religious values as well as cultural importance in all major religions of the world. It is important in ceremonies of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. The reason for this is mainly the influence of Prophet Ibrahim, whose love for dates and date palm has left a lasting influence on these religions. According to the Holy Book Qur’an, dates have always been considered beneficial to mothers. When Mary gave birth to the Prophet Jesus (may peace be upon Him) under a palm tree, she heard a voice telling her: “Shake the trunk of the palm tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee. Eat, then, and drink, and let thin eye be gladdened!” (Qur’an 19:25-26). There are over20 references to date and date palms in the Holy Quran. The Holy Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) also highlighted the importance of dates and date palms on many occasions. Such as: There is among trees one that is pre-eminently blessed, as is the Muslim among men; it is the date palm” and “Homes without dates is as good as a home without food”.

Dates Producing District

Baluchistan: Turbat & Panjgoor

Sindh: Khairpur & Sukkur

Punjab: Muzaffargarh, D.G Khan & Jhang

NWFP: D.I.Khan

Dates Varieties Grown in Different Provinces of Pakistan

Date varieties have been developed by thousands of years of selection of seedlings and only those possessing desirable characteristics have been propagated. Date palm counts for more than3000 varieties all around the world. There are about 400 in Iran, 370 in Iraq, 250 in Tunisia, 244 in Morocco, as well as many additional varieties in the other major date growing countries (Rani et al., 2007). Whereas Popenoe listed 1,500 descriptions of the fruit and palm, as well as the history and significance of the most important, country by country, in his book, The Date Palm(written in 1924 but published in 1973)

There are three main cultivar groups of dates e.g. soft, semi-dry and dry. The type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose and sucrose content. In soft dates about 80 percent of the dry matter is invert sugars (mixture of equal parts of glucose and fructose), while in semi-dry dates, about 40 percent of the dry matter is invert sugars and forty percent is sucrose. In dry dates, about 20 to 40 percent of the dry matter is invert sugars and 40 to 60 percent is sucrose (Bender and Bender, 2005)

There are more than 300 varieties of dates in Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan and this is the biodiversity centre of dates (Markhand and Abul Soad, 2007 and Mahar, 2007). Province wise Elite date varieties of Pakistan are:

Sindh: Aseel, Karbalian, Fasli, Dedhi, Kupro, Gajjar, Kachoo wari, Began, Mithri, Bhedir, Khar, Autaqin and Asul khurmo.

Punjab: Zahidi, Halawi, Khudravi and Shamran.

Baluchistan: Muzawati, Begum Jangi, Shakri, Halini, Sabzo, Hussaini, Aab-e-dandan, Jaan Swore, Khahraba and Rabbi.

NWFP: Dhakki and Gulistan

Description of The Varieties,

Sindh Varieties

Fasli

Fasil Dates are grown in Sukkur & Khairpur Districts and adjoining areas of Sing Province. These Dates are of Industrial Grade because they contain lesser amount of meat, thinner in size and have dry skin. The harvesting period of these Dates is from July 8 to July 31. The shelf life of these Dates is short and therefore must be used soon and shipped immediately after harvesting.

Aseel

Sukkur Aseel Dates are of prime quality grown in Sindh Province and harvested from August 1 to August 31. These Dates are of reddish color, larger in size and with plenty of meat.

Baluchistan Varieties

Begum Jangi

Begum Jangi (BJ) Dates resemble the Sukkur Aseel Dates and grown in Turbat area of Baluchistan Province. These are a little bit smaller in size than Sukkur Aseel Dates having lower moisture than Sukkur Aseel. It is the harvested from August 15 to September 14.

Khahraba

Khahraba Dates are grown in Panjgoor & Mushkay areas of Baluchistan Province. These dates are of smaller size but sweeter and have lower moisture level & harvested from September 22 to October 31.

Rabbi

Baluchistan Rabbi (BR) Dates are grown in Mashkail area of Baluchistan from September 01 to September 30.

Punjab Varieties

Halawi

Sweet and sticky (halawi means “sweet” in Arabic); semi-soft, moist, and higher on the sweetness scale than many other dates, with a caramel color and undertone.

Zahidi

Semi dry and less intense than some varieties, but still on the sweet side.

Dates Palm Diseases

Diseases in date palm may be either biotic or a-biotic. Biotic diseases are caused by pathogens like fungi and bacteria and insects like Red Palm Weevil and Fruit stalk borer etc. Both pathogens and insects are responsible for great damage to date palm in Sindh. A-biotic diseases are caused by Physiological disorders such as, too low or too high temperature, lack or excess of soil moisture, lack or excess of light, lack of oxygen, air pollution, nutrient deficiencies, toxicities of pesticides etc. Some palms show resistance to their biotic pathogens and to conditions which cause a-biotic diseases but all date palms are susceptible to mismanagement of water, the extremes of pruning and poor planting practices.

Biotic Diseases

Biotic diseases are caused by pathogens and are usually fungal in etiology, the most common fungal diseases of Date Palm in Sindh are:

• Sudden decline of date palm (drying) in Sindh caused by soil borne fungi Fusarium spp.
• Grapholia leaf spot caused by Grapholia phoenicis.
• Leaf spot of Date Palm caused by Mycosphaerella spp.
• Inflorescences rot of Date Palm caused by Mauginiella scaettae.
• Fruit rot of Date Palm caused by Aspergilus spp.
• Diplodia disease of date palm caused by Diplodia phoenicum.

While the Red Palm Weevil or Indian Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is also damaging the date crop in Sindh. It bores into the stem from the exposed soft tissues and entire crown to wither and die Whereas Lesser Date Moth (Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick) and Fruit Stalk Borer (Oryctes elegans Prell) are also causing a great damage to date palm.

A-Biotic Diseases

A-biotic diseases are caused by re-occurring environmental-conditions that compromise the long-term growth and development of the-palm. Some of them described by Zaid et al., (2002) are given below:

Crosscuts

A crosscut is a physiological disorder of fruit stalks and fronds. Crosscuts or V-cuts are clean breaks in the tissues of the fruit stalk bases and on fronds. It consists of a slight to deep notch, similar to a cut artificially done by a knife. Fruits born on strands in line with the break wither and fail to mature properly. Crosscuts result from an anatomical defect in the fruit stalks and fronds involving internal, sterile cavities leading to mechanical breaks during elongation of the stalk or the fronds.

Leaf Apical Drying

This is not a disease but a physiological reaction to transplantation of adult palms (injury of their root system). All palms with these symptoms recover within two to three years after their transplanting.

Frost Damage

When temperature falls below 0°C, it causes serious metabolic disorders with some injury to date palm leaves characterized by a partial or total desiccation. Water of protoplasm freezes after coming out from the cells. During defrost, water invaded inter-cellular spaces and affected leaves turn brown and desiccated. The severity of damage is related to the intensity and duration of frost. Frost injury to the date palm groves is not a direct loss of fruit on the palm but freezing produces loss of leaves so that the palm cannot support and mature the fruit crop following year.

Healthy Benefits of Dates

Introduction

The benefits of dates include relief from constipation, intestinal disorders, heart problems, anemia, sexual dysfunction, diarrhea, abdominal cancer, and many other conditions. Dates are good for gaining weight also. Dates are rich in several vitamins, minerals and fiber too. These delicious fruits contain oil, calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium which are all beneficial for health. Some health specialists have said that eating one day per day is necessary for a balanced and healthy diet.

The massive health benefits of dates have made them one of the best ingredients for muscle development. People consume dates in several ways, such as mixing the paste of the dates with milk, yogurt or with bread or butter to make them even more delicious. The paste is beneficial for both adults and children, especially during a time of recovery from injury or illness.

According to a modern medical survey, it is now accepted that dates are useful in preventing abdominal cancer. Many Muslims break their fast by eating dates and water according to their cultural traditions. Breaking fast by eating dates helps avoid overeating of food after the fast is finished. When the body begins to absorb the high nutritional value of the dates, feelings of hunger are pacified. Also, the nervous system can get a lot of help from consuming dates, since they have such significant amounts of potassium.

Dates are one of the very best sweet and versatile foods that can regulate the digestive process. It can significantly boost energy levels in people within half an hour of consuming it. The American Cancer Society recommends an intake of 20-35 grams of dietary fiber per day, which can be supplied through dates. It is also said that taking one date per a day will help you to maintain your eye health all your life. They are commonly known to be quite effective in guarding against the problem of night blindness.

Nutritional Value of Dates

Dates are a good source of various vitamins and minerals. It’s a good source of energy, sugar and fiber. Essential minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium and zinc are found in dates. It also contains vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin A and vitamin K.

Benefits of Dates Are,

Constipation

Dates are often categorized as a laxative food. This is why dates are so frequently eaten by people suffering from constipation. In order to achieve the desired laxative effect of dates, you should soak them in water over night. Then, eat the soaked dates in the morning like syrup to get the most optimal results. Dates have high levels of soluble fiber, which is essential in promoting healthy bowel movements and the comfortable passage of food through the intestinal tract, which can relieve symptoms of constipation.

Bone Health and Strength

The significant amounts of minerals found in dates make it a super food for strengthening bones and fighting off painful and debilitating diseases like osteoporosis. Dates contain selenium, manganese, copper, and magnesium, all of which are integral to healthy bone development and strength, particularly as people begin to age and their bones gradually weaken. So, eat your dates and give a boost to your bones.

Intestinal Disorders

The nicotine content in dates is thought to be beneficial for curing many kinds of intestinal disorders. Continuous intake of dates helps to inhibit growth of the pathological organisms and thus, they help stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines. In terms of digestive issues, dates contain those insoluble and soluble fibers, as well as many beneficial amino acids which can stimulate the digestion of food and make it more efficient, meaning that more nutrients will be absorbed by the digestive tract and enter your body for proper usage.

Anemia

Dates have a high mineral content, which is beneficial for many different health conditions, but their impressive levels of iron make them a perfect dietary supplement for people suffering from anemia. The high level of iron balances out the inherent lack of iron in anemic patients, increasing energy and strength, while decreasing feelings of fatigue and sluggishness.

Allergies

One of the most interesting facets of dates is the presence of organic sulfur in them. This is not a very common element to find in foods, but it does have a worthwhile amount of health benefits, including the reduction of allergic reactions and seasonal allergies. According to a study done in 2002, organic sulfur compounds can have a positive impact on the amount of suffering people experience from SAR (Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis), which affects approximately 23 million people in the United States alone. Dates are a great way to somewhat stem the effects of those seasonal allergies through its contributions of sulfur to the diet.

Weight Gain

Dates should be included as a part of a healthy diet. They consist of sugar, proteins and many essential vitamins. If dates are consumed with cucumber paste, you can also keep your weight at a normal, balanced level, rather than over-slimming. One kilogram of dates contains almost 3,000 calories, and the calories in dates are sufficient to meet the daily requirements for a human body. Of course, you should not eat just dates throughout the day. If you are thin and slim and want to increase your weight, or if you are trying to build your muscles to impress some girl, or you have become weak due to a serious medical problem – you need to eat dates.

Energy Booster

Dates are high in natural sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Therefore, they are the perfect snack for an immediate burst of energy. Many people around the world use dates for a quick afternoon snack when they are feeling lethargic or sluggish.

Nervous System Health

The vitamins present in dates make it an ideal boost to nervous system health and functionality. Potassium is one of the prime ingredients in promoting a healthy and responsive nervous system, and it also improves the speed and alertness of brain activity. Therefore, dates are a wonderful food source for people as they begin to age and their nervous system becomes sluggish or unsupported, as well as for people who want to keep their mind sharp.

Healthy Heart

Dates are quite helpful in keeping your heart healthy. When they are soaked for the night, crushed in the morning and then consumed, they have been shown to have a positive effect on weak hearts. Dates are also a rich source of potassium, which studies have shown to reduce the risk of stroke and other heart related diseases. Furthermore, they are suggested as a healthy and delicious way to reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol in the body, which is a major contributing factor heart attacks, heart disease, and stroke. Therefore, when taken twice a week, dates can seriously improve the overall health of the heart.

Sexual Weakness

Studies have shown that dates are even beneficial for increasing sexual stamina. Soak a handful of dates in fresh goat’s milk over night, and then grind them in the same milk with a mixture of cardamom powder and honey. This mixture becomes a very useful tonic for increasing sexual endurance and reducing sterility caused by various sexual disorders. The science behind this phenomenon is largely due to traditional usage which stimulated formal research. In 2006, Bahmanpour studied the effects of date palms and their oil on sexual functioning and found that the high levels of estradiol and flavonoid components of dates are what increase sperm count and motility, as well as promoting increased testes size and weight. So, if you are looking for a masculine boost, eat some dates, because they are a great natural aphrodisiac.

Night Blindness

The benefits of dates are extensive, and are commonly employed to fight off various conditions affecting the ear, nose, and throat. When the leaves of the date palm are ground into a paste and rubbed on and around the eyes, or when dates are ingested orally, it has been shown to reduce the frequency of night blindness, and this solution is commonly used in rural areas where dates grow as an alternative medicine.

Intoxication

Dates are commonly used as a remedy for alcoholic intoxication. Dates provide quick relief and have a sobering effect in case you feel as though have consumed an uncomfortable amount of alcohol. They can also be used the following morning to prevent severe hangovers. Again, they should be rubbed and soaked overnight for the best results.

Diarrhea

Ripe dates contain potassium, which is known as an effective way of controlling diarrhea. They are also easy to digest, which further helps alleviate the unpredictable nature of chronic diarrhea. The soluble fiber in dates can also help relieve diarrhea, by providing bulk to the bowel movements and promoting normal, healthy functioning of the excretory system.

Abdominal Cancer

Research has pointed towards dates being a legitimate way to reduce the risk and impact of abdominal cancer. They work as a useful tonic for all age groups, and in some cases, they work better than traditional medicines, and are natural, so they don’t have any negative side effects on the human body. They can be quickly and easily digested for a quick boost of energy.

Although dates carry tremendous nutritional values, great care should be taken in their selection because their surface is very sticky, which often attracts various impurities. Therefore, you should only consume dates that are processed and packaged properly. Also, make sure to wash them thoroughly before you eat them, as this will help remove the impurities present on the surface.

Courtesy: https://edu.par.com.pk/wiki/dates/