WINDHOEK – Desert Fruit Namibia is one of only a handful of known producers of Fresh Bahri Dates in the Southern Hemisphere, and these dates, while relatively unknown in Europe and the US, remain a sought-after delicacy in the Middle East, with rising demand from the Muslim and Asian markets.
Managing Director, Seth Holmes, advised that Desert Fruit Namibia was expecting a marked increase in production output as they focused on this unique date. “Our focus has been to increase quality and date size, pushing the envelope of the delicacy market. The young trees are reaching production maturity, and the tree health is reflected in the fruit quality. We will introduce a new line of 1kg loose fresh Bahri punnets to complement the existing 5kg fresh pack carton. This is meant for convenience shopping at the retailer, and we are excited about this addition to our product range.”
Seth added that buyers have already started placing their orders for the upcoming season, and more orders are expected, as last year’s produce was exported to the UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia, Maldives, and Switzerland. “The produce will be harvested from late January, through to the end of March, and it is looking good, as we are able to deliver Bahri for an extended season to all our customers.”
The Bahri Date is traditionally eaten fresh and crisp with a very sweet juice; the date is also allowed to age slowly on the table of the end user, making a very soft, naturally ripened date–super sweet and tasting of Caramel–most certainly a unique and highly anticipated taste for all date lovers.