PrintNorth Coast growers start the season on an up-market
What US states produce the most food? (Ranking 1-50)
Farmers list top issues impacting agriculture
According to the Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Association (BVMDGA), a consortium of family growers responsible for producing more than 60 percent of Medjools grown in the U.S., 11 million pounds of this particular Fruit of Kings was produced last season.
This unique microclimate is the right place to grow the right product, according to BVMDGA marketing efforts, which say, “Bard Valley, nestled where California and Arizona meet, lies in a sun-drenched corner of the Southwest where Medjool date gardens are nourished by the Colorado’s high water table and ever-present sunshine.”
And while the Coachella Valley, located southeast of Indio, is still the largest overall date growing district, the geographic dateline is shifting eastward into the Yuma area, following the footsteps of pioneer Gusmar Nunez of the Imperial Date Gardens, who boldly began expansion planting there in the 1990s.
“There are 5,000 acres already planted in Arizona, and a good rule of thumb is you get 10,000 pounds of production per acre,” says Dave Mansheim, manager of Bard Date Company, custom growers and packers, and current BVMDGA president.
“It’s safe to say that the industry, in total, represents in excess of 40 million pounds annually, representing something north of $140 million,” says John Haydock, chief executive officer of DatePac (owners of the Natural Delights brand).
Lorrie Cooper is manager of the California Date Commission (CDC) at Indio, where they predict another volume increase this year and throughout the decade ahead. “Growers have seen lots of new growth coming on board — perhaps a little at a time, but there is a constant uptick, and it’s a good time to be in the industry,” she says.
