Pakistan is one of the world’s leading date producers, harvesting more than half a million tonnes in a typical year. Most of the crop comes from three regions: Khairpur in Sindh, Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Panjgur in Balochistan. This guide explains the main varieties and what to check when you import them.
The main growing regions
- Khairpur, Sindh: the biggest date area in the country. Sindh grows about half of Pakistan’s dates, and most of Sindh’s crop comes from Khairpur. The main variety is Aseel.
- Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: home of the large, premium Dhakki date.
- Panjgur, Balochistan: known for high-quality soft dates such as Begum Jangi.
Pakistani date varieties compared
| Variety | Region | Harvest | Taste and texture | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aseel | Khairpur, Sindh | July to September | Amber to dark brown, soft to semi-dry, caramel sweetness | Everyday eating, retail, processing and dry dates |
| Dhakki | Dera Ismail Khan | Late August to September | Large and fleshy, mild sweetness, firm bite | Premium retail and gifts |
| Karbalain | Sindh and Punjab | July to September | Soft, dark brown, syrupy sweetness | Everyday eating in the Gulf and South Asia |
| Begum Jangi | Panjgur, Balochistan | July to August | Golden brown, honey-sweet, tender | Premium table dates and gifting |
Products made from dates
- Pitted dates: stones removed by machine and checked by hand, ready for retail packs and bakeries.
- Dry dates (chhuhara): Aseel dates boiled and sun-dried until hard. They keep for 18 to 24 months.
- Diced and chopped dates: small pieces with a light rice flour or dextrose coating, for cereals and snack bars.
- Date paste: 100% dates with no added sugar, a natural sweetener for food makers.
Season and timing
Pakistani dates are harvested from July to September. After the harvest, soft dates go into cold storage, so they can be shipped all year. Demand is highest before Ramadan, so place orders for Ramadan sales early, ideally two to three months before you need the stock on your shelves.
Quality points to agree
- Variety and grade: for example Premium, Grade A or Grade B
- Texture and moisture: soft or semi-dry; moisture often 18% to 24%, as agreed
- Size grading: even sizes within each lot
- Defects: damaged or defective fruit, for example 3% maximum
- Infestation: nil, with fumigation before packing
- Stones (pitted dates): for example 2 stones or stone pieces per kg maximum
Packing and shipping
Dates are packed in retail boxes, trays and pouches of 250 g to 1 kg, or in 5 kg and 10 kg cartons with a food-grade liner. Private label packing is available. Soft dates should travel in reefer (cold) containers, usually kept at about 0 to 5 °C, to stay fresh and soft. A 20 ft reefer usually carries about 10 to 12 metric tons of dates in cartons, and a 40 ft reefer about 20 to 24 metric tons, depending on the packing. Dry dates can travel in standard dry containers.
Documents for date shipments
- Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading
- Certificate of origin
- Phytosanitary certificate and fumigation certificate
- Halal certificate from the packer
- Health certificate and lab report (on request)
The HS code for fresh and dried dates is 0804.10. Processed products such as date paste or coated date pieces may be classified differently in some countries, so check with your customs broker.
Next step
Tell us the variety, grade, packing, quantity and destination port, and we will send a quotation within one working day. Request a quote or see our full dates range.
