Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Expect 30% Crop Increase

BARD VALLEY, Calif. – The Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Association (BVMDGA), a group of family farmers who grow more than60 percentof the country’s Medjool dates, are projecting a near 30 percent crop increase for 2012-13, with total production as high as 15 million pounds, up from 11 million pounds this year.

The BVMDGA cultivates approximately 4,500 acres in the Bard Valley in Arizona and California, and markets its fruit under the Natural Delights™ brand, the top-selling Medjool date brand in the U.S. The sharp rise in tonnage coincides with an expansion of Natural Delights in the form of new packaging, a comprehensive marketing campaign and new products, including Natural Delights Pitted Medjool Dates and Natural Delights Snack Packs, both offered exclusively by Datepac LLC, the country’s largest Medjool date packer and shipper.

“This year’s crop quality is exceptional,” explained Dave Anderson, marketing director of BVMDGA. “The extra tonnage comes at an excellent timeas health-conscious Americans increasingly embrace Medjool dates as an easy and delicious new way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in their diets.”

To accommodate the larger crop, Datepac, owned by BVMDGA members, installed additional new, state-of-the-art conditioning rooms at its headquarters and packing plant in Yuma, Ariz., earlier this year. The new controlled-environment facilities significantly boost the company’s annual Medjool date conditioning and production capacity.

“The overall U.S. Medjool date market continues to flourish and has experienced continued growth for the last three years,” said Anderson. “The Natural Delights brand alone saw a more than 30 percent jump in sales over the past 13-week period. This year’s crop size will enable us to continue this growth.”

About Bard Valley Natural Delights™ Medjool Dates

Caramel-like Natural Delights Medjool Dates are considered the best-tasting, most luscious dates in the world. In addition to being a good source of fiber, they contain no added sugar, are high in antioxidants and contain important vitamins and minerals, including Potassium, Copper, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, Niacin, Calcium and Iron. The Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Association (BVMDGA), a consortium of family growers in the southwest, is responsible for more than 60 percent of the Medjool dates grown in the United States. Thanks to their efforts, Natural Delights is the top Medjool date brand in the country. For information and high-res art, including recipes, serving suggestions and nutritional information, go to www.naturaldelights.com and www.naturaldelights.com/retailers.

Source: Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Association