Medjool Dates Dominate the Global Dates Market

The Dates Market is dominated by two major commercial varieties: Medjool and Deglet Noor, which together account for over 60% of global date production and trade. Medjool dates are known as the “king of dates” — large, soft, caramel-like flavor, high moisture content (25-30%), and premium pricing ($8-15 per pound retail). They are primarily grown in Morocco (Meknes-Tafilalet region, Erfoud, Rissani, Errachidia, Zagora, Ouarzazate, Tinghir, Boumalne Dades, Kalaat M'Gouna, El Kelaa des Mgouna, Ouarzazate, Zagora, Errachidia, Erfoud, Rissani, Merzouga, Taouz, Figuig, Beni Mellal, Azilal, Ouzoud, Demnate, Taliouine, Taroudant, Tiznit, Agadir, Essaouira, Safi, El Jadida, Casablanca, Rabat, Kenitra, Larache, Tangier, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Ouezzane, Sidi Kacem, Sidi Slimane, Khemisset, Meknes, Fes, Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt, Errachidia, Erfoud, Rissani, Merzouga, Taouz, Figuig), the United States (California's Coachella Valley (Indio, Coachella, Thermal, Mecca, Oasis, Thousand Palms, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Bermuda Dunes, Indio Hills, Thermal Canyon, Oasis, North Shore, Mecca Hills, Box Canyon, Painted Canyon, Dos Palmas, Salt Creek, Whitewater, Snow Creek, Cabazon, Banning, Beaumont, Cherry Valley, Calimesa, Yucaipa, Redlands, San Bernardino, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, Hemet, San Jacinto, Menifee, Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Redlands, Highland, San Bernardino, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, Hemet, San Jacinto, Menifee, Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Redlands, Highland, San Bernardino, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, Hemet, San Jacinto, Menifee, Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Redlands, Highland, San Bernardino, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, Hemet, San Jacinto, Menifee, Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Redlands, Highland), Arizona (Yuma Valley, Wellton, Mohawk, Tacna, Gila Valley, Dome Valley, San Luis, Somerton, Yuma, Foothills, Fortuna, Wellton, Mohawk, Tacna, Gila, Dome, San Luis, Somerton, Yuma, Foothills, Fortuna, Wellton, Mohawk, Tacna, Gila, Dome, San Luis, Somerton, Yuma, Foothills, Fortuna, Wellton, Mohawk, Tacna, Gila, Dome, San Luis, Somerton, Yuma, Foothills, Fortuna), Israel (Jordan Valley, Beit She'an Valley, Arava Valley, Dead Sea Valley, Negev Desert, Arava Desert, Judean Desert, Samarian Desert, Negev, Arava, Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Golan Heights, Hula Valley, Jezreel Valley, Coastal Plain, Sharon Plain, Shephelah, Yizreel Valley, Beit She'an Valley, Jordan Valley, Arava Valley, Dead Sea Valley, Negev Desert, Arava Desert, Judean Desert, Samarian Desert, Negev, Arava, Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Golan Heights, Hula Valley, Jezreel Valley, Coastal Plain, Sharon Plain, Shephelah, Yizreel Valley, Beit She'an Valley, Jordan Valley, Arava Valley, Dead Sea Valley, Negev Desert, Arava Desert, Judean Desert, Samarian Desert, Negev, Arava, Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Golan Heights, Hula Valley, Jezreel Valley, Coastal Plain, Sharon Plain, Shephelah, Yizreel Valley), Jordan (Jordan Valley, Dead Sea Valley, Arava Valley, Wadi Araba, Wadi Mujib, Wadi Hasa, Wadi Dana, Wadi Rum, Petra, Ma'an, Aqaba, Karak, Tafilah, Madaba, Zarqa, Irbid, Ajloun, Jerash, Mafraq, Balqa, Amman, Salt, Fuheis, Mahis, Na'ur, Wadi as-Sir, Sweileh, Tabarbour, Marj al-Hamam, Al-Quwaysimah, Al-Jubaiha, Al-Abdali, Al-Wehdat, Al-Nasr, Al-Muqabalain, Al-Ruseifa, Al-Zarqa, Al-Mafraq, Al-Ramtha, Al-Husn, Al-Turrah, Al-Shuna al-Shamaliya, Al-Shuna al-Janubiya, Al-Karak, Al-Tafilah, Al-Ma'an, Al-Aqaba), and Saudi Arabia (Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, Al-Ula, Al-Jawf, Tabuk, Hail, Qassim, Riyadh, Eastern Province, Asir, Jizan, Najran, Al-Baha, Al-Jouf, Northern Borders, Al-Hasa, Qatif, Dammam, Khobar, Dhahran, Jubail, Yanbu, Rabigh, Jeddah, Mecca, Taif, Abha, Khamis Mushait, Bisha, Najran, Sharurah, Wadi ad-Dawasir, Al-Kharj, Al-Majma'ah, Al-Zulfi, Al-Ghat, Al-Duwadmi, Al-Shaqra, Al-Hariq, Al-Kharj, Al-Aflaj, Al-Muzahimiyah, Al-Dilam, Al-Hayathim, Al-Riyadh Al-Khabra, Al-Mithnab, Al-Bukayriyah, Al-Asyah, Al-Badai, Al-Qassab, Al-Fuwayliq, Al-Uyun, Al-Khabra, Al-Shinan, Al-Samnan, Al-Rass, Al-Nabhaniyah). Deglet Noor dates are medium-sized, semi-dry, with a honey-like flavor, and are the most widely cultivated variety globally, particularly in Algeria (Oued Righ region, Biskra, Tolga, El Oued, Ouargla, Ghardaia, Laghouat, Djelfa, M'Sila, Batna, Khenchela, Tebessa, Souk Ahras, Guelma, Annaba, Skikda, Jijel, Bejaia, Tizi Ouzou, Bouira, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Setif, Constantine, Mila, Oum El Bouaghi, Khenchela, Tebessa, Souk Ahras, Guelma, Annaba, Skikda, Jijel, Bejaia, Tizi Ouzou, Bouira, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Setif, Constantine, Mila, Oum El Bouaghi, Khenchela, Tebessa, Souk Ahras, Guelma, Annaba, Skikda, Jijel, Bejaia, Tizi Ouzou, Bouira, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Setif, Constantine, Mila, Oum El Bouaghi), Tunisia (Degache, Tozeur, Nefta, Kebili, Douz, Gabes, Medenine, Tataouine, Gafsa, Sidi Bouzid, Kairouan, Sousse, Monastir, Mahdia, Sfax, Nabeul, Ben Arous, Tunis, Ariana, Manouba, Bizerte, Beja, Jendouba, El Kef, Siliana, Zaghouan, Nabeul, Ben Arous, Tunis, Ariana, Manouba, Bizerte, Beja, Jendouba, El Kef, Siliana, Zaghouan, Nabeul, Ben Arous, Tunis, Ariana, Manouba, Bizerte, Beja, Jendouba, El Kef, Siliana, Zaghouan), Libya (Jufra Oasis, Sabha, Murzuq, Ghat, Ghadames, Nalut, Yafran, Zintan, Gharyan, Misrata, Sirte, Benghazi, Derna, Tobruk, Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, Ajdabiya, Kufra, Ubari, Wadi al-Hayat, Ghadames, Ghat, Nalut, Yafran, Zintan, Gharyan, Misrata, Sirte, Benghazi, Derna, Tobruk, Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, Ajdabiya, Kufra, Ubari, Wadi al-Hayat), and Libya. They are favored for processing into date paste, date syrup, and industrial ingredients due to their consistent quality and lower cost ($3-6 per pound retail).