Summary
- Deglet Nour is a seasonal crop. In the oases of southern Tunisia, the harvest generally takes place from autumn to early winter, roughly from October to December depending on the year and the plantation.
- The months after the harvest are the new-crop period: the widest choice of presentations, including branch dates and whole bunches of Deglet Nour Arjoun.
- Outside the harvest season, supply usually comes from stored stock. Dates keep well in proper conditions, but availability of some presentations becomes narrower as the year advances.
- Demand peaks such as Ramadan and the year-end holidays can fall during or shortly after the harvest. Planning backwards from your selling date is the key habit.
- The best moments to request samples and quotes are generally just before and during the harvest. This article gives a month-by-month view, written as general guidance rather than a fixed rule.
- At Azzed, we study every request from small and mid-sized buyers, at any time of year. Contact us or message us on WhatsApp at +216 52 146 101.
Why the calendar matters more for dates than for many foods
Many products an importer buys are available in roughly the same form all year. Deglet Nour is different. It is harvested once a year, over a few weeks to a few months, and everything that follows, from packing to storage to export, is organised around that moment.
For a buyer abroad, this has three practical consequences:
- What you can buy changes during the year. Some presentations are closely linked to the fresh harvest, while others travel well from stored stock.
- Your selling peaks do not move with the harvest. Ramadan follows the lunar calendar and moves earlier each year; the year-end holidays are fixed. The gap between harvest and peak changes from one year to the next.
- Pressure builds at the same time for everyone. In the weeks before major peaks, packing, transport and documentation tend to be busier. Buyers who plan early usually have more options.
Tunisia is one of the world’s major date producers, and Deglet Nour from the oases of the south is its best-known variety. Understanding its year is one of the simplest ways for a small importer to avoid last-minute surprises.
The Deglet Nour year at a glance
The table below is a general overview. Exact dates vary with the weather, the oasis, the plantation and the year, so treat it as a planning aid and confirm timing with your supplier each season.
| Period (indicative) | What happens at origin | What it means for an importer |
|---|---|---|
| Late summer to early autumn | Fruit ripens on the palm; growers prepare the harvest | Good time to contact suppliers, discuss needs and plan samples |
| Autumn to early winter (roughly October to December) | Harvest, sorting and packing of the new crop | Widest choice of presentations; new-crop samples become available |
| Winter | New-crop dates packed and shipped; stored stock builds up | Main window for many export shipments; check timing against Ramadan |
| Spring | Supply mainly from stored stock | Standard presentations usually remain available; some presentations narrow |
| Summer | Stored stock; heat makes storage and transport conditions more important | Plan carefully for transport conditions; prepare for the next season |
Before the harvest: the planning window
In late summer and early autumn, the fruit is still on the palm. Nothing ships from the new crop yet, but this is often the most useful time to talk. Suppliers are planning their season, and a buyer who explains needs early gives them time to think about packaging, labelling and quantities.
Use this window to:
- share your channels, destination and expected selling peaks;
- discuss which presentations interest you;
- ask how and when new-crop samples can be sent;
- clarify documents with your customs broker.
The harvest: the new-crop period
The Deglet Nour harvest generally runs from autumn into early winter. In the Nefzaoua region, where Douz and Kébili are located, the harvest is a busy time: bunches are cut, the fruit is sorted and the different presentations are prepared.
This is when the choice is widest:
- Branch dates, with the fruit still attached to the strand, are closely tied to the fresh harvest.
- Arjoun, the whole bunch, is by nature a harvest product. A bunch can weigh up to about 20 kg and is supplied on quotation.
- Standard dates, the loose fruit, are prepared in quantity.
- Pitted dates can be discussed on request.
Our article Deglet Nour Grades Explained describes these presentations in detail.
After the harvest: winter shipments
Once the new crop is sorted and packed, many buyers organise their main shipments. Winter is a natural window for retail programmes, food service and seasonal displays. It is also the period when timing against Ramadan matters most in years when Ramadan falls in late winter or early spring.
Spring and summer: the stored-stock period
Outside the harvest season, supply generally comes from stored stock. Deglet Nour keeps well when it is stored cool and dry, which is why standard presentations usually remain available through much of the year. Presentations closely linked to the fresh harvest, such as branch dates and whole bunches, tend to become narrower or less suitable as the season advances.
In summer, heat makes transport and storage conditions more important. Ask your supplier and forwarder how the goods will be protected, and check your own storage at destination. Our guide Storing Deglet Nour Dates in an Importer Warehouse covers temperature, humidity and stock rotation.
New crop or stored stock: how to choose
Both have their place. The choice depends on your product, your customers and your calendar.
| Criterion | New crop | Stored stock |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Available from the harvest onwards | Available outside the harvest season |
| Presentations | Widest choice, including branch dates and Arjoun | Mainly standard presentations; ask for the availability of others |
| Customer perception | “New harvest” can be a selling point | Fine for everyday sales when well stored |
| Planning | Requires early discussion and booking | More flexible, but options can narrow |
| What to ask | Expected availability dates, sample timing | Crop year, storage conditions, current condition |
When you request a quotation, always ask about the crop year. A supplier should be able to tell you clearly whether goods come from the current harvest or from earlier stock. If freshness or the “new harvest” message matters to your customers, say so explicitly.
Demand peaks and how they meet the harvest
Ramadan
Ramadan is the strongest demand peak for dates in many markets. Because it follows the lunar calendar, it moves earlier by roughly ten to eleven days each year. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around early February 2027, subject to moon sighting, which places it shortly after the Tunisian harvest.
That proximity is an advantage, since new-crop dates are available, but it also leaves little room for delays. Working backwards from your selling date, you need time for packing, transport, customs clearance and distribution to stores. We have written a dedicated timeline for this: Planning Your Ramadan 2027 Date Stock. We will not repeat it here; the key idea is that requests sent early in the harvest season leave the most room.
In later years, as Ramadan moves earlier into the winter and then into the autumn, it will gradually move towards and into the harvest period itself. Buyers who sell mainly for Ramadan should review their calendar every year rather than repeating the previous one.
Year-end holidays
In many European and international markets, dates are bought for Christmas, New Year and winter gifting. These peaks fall during the harvest period, which means very little time between the harvest and the shelf. Buyers who target year-end sales generally benefit from discussing their needs before the harvest begins and accepting that the earliest new-crop goods are in high demand.
Other moments
Local festivals, weddings, trade fairs and promotional seasons can also matter, depending on your market. Add them to your own calendar and share them with your supplier.
When to request samples and quotes
The right moment depends on your goal. Here is a general guide.
| Your goal | When to start the discussion | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Year-end holiday sales | Late summer to early autumn | Little time between harvest and peak; plan early |
| Ramadan 2027 | As early as possible in the autumn | See our Ramadan 2027 planning article |
| Regular retail programme | Before or during the harvest | Allows a full-season discussion on presentations |
| Testing a new market | Before or during the harvest | Lets you include branch dates and Arjoun in a test |
| Occasional or off-season need | Any time | Expect mainly standard presentations from stored stock |
Samples
New-crop samples are, by definition, only available once the harvest has started. If you want to evaluate the current crop, plan for samples to travel during the harvest and leave time to taste and examine them before ordering. Our article Evaluating Deglet Nour Samples Before a First Order explains what to look at.
Quotations
A quotation for an agricultural product usually has a limited validity, because availability and costs move with the season. A price given before the harvest may need to be confirmed once the crop is known. Ask how long a quotation holds and when it will be confirmed.
Our guide How to Write a Request for Quotation for Tunisian Dates gives a complete checklist. In a seasonal context, add three lines to it:
- the crop year you require;
- your selling peak and the date by which goods must be at your warehouse;
- whether you are flexible on presentation if a product is not available at your date.
A simple planning method for small and mid-sized buyers
You do not need complex tools to plan around the Deglet Nour year. A one-page calendar is enough.
- Mark your selling peaks for the next twelve months: Ramadan, year-end, local events, promotions.
- Work backwards from each peak: distribution to stores, customs clearance, transport, packing. Ask your forwarder for realistic transit times for your route.
- Mark the harvest period as a broad band from autumn to early winter, and confirm it with your supplier each year.
- Place your contact, sample and quotation steps before the harvest or early in it.
- Decide which presentations depend on the new crop (branch dates, Arjoun) and which can come from stored stock (standard dates).
- Review the calendar every year, especially because Ramadan moves.
If you are testing a market for the first time, a mixed shipment timed early in the new-crop period often gives you the widest range to compare. Our article Building a Mixed First Order of Tunisian Dates explains how to compose it.
Common calendar mistakes
Asking for new-crop dates before the harvest
Requesting fresh-crop branch dates delivered abroad in early autumn rarely matches reality. Ask what is possible at your date instead of assuming.
Treating Ramadan as a fixed date
Copying last year’s schedule can leave you about ten days late. Check the expected start date every year.
Waiting for the peak to start the discussion
Contacting suppliers a few weeks before your selling date leaves little room for samples, documents and transport. Early contact costs nothing.
Forgetting transit and clearance time
The date goods leave Tunisia is not the date they reach your shelf. Build in time for transport, customs clearance and distribution, and confirm it with your forwarder and customs broker.
Ignoring summer conditions
Off-season shipments in hot months need more attention to transport and storage conditions. Discuss them before shipping.
How Azzed works through the year
Azzed is a Tunisian Deglet Nour brand from the oases of Douz and Kébili, in the Nefzaoua region of southern Tunisia. Our year follows the oasis: the harvest, sorting and packing of the new crop, then the months when we work from stored fruit.
We are still building our export activity, and we prefer to be clear about it. What we offer buyers abroad:
- We study every request, whatever the time of year, with a particular interest in small and mid-sized buyers: importers, delicatessens, retailers and medium-sized wholesalers.
- We quote for all our products: standard dates, branch dates, Deglet Nour Arjoun and pitted dates on request. The full range is on our Products page, and our Deglet Nour page presents the variety.
- We tell you honestly what is realistic for your timing, including when a presentation is not the right choice for your date.
- You talk directly to the people who handle your order.
Read more on our Export and Quality pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Deglet Nour harvest in Tunisia?
It generally takes place from autumn to early winter, roughly from October to December. Exact timing varies with the year, the weather and the plantation, so it is worth confirming with your supplier each season.
Can I buy Tunisian Deglet Nour outside the harvest season?
Yes, generally from stored stock. Standard presentations usually remain available for much of the year, while availability of presentations closely linked to the fresh harvest, such as branch dates and whole Arjoun bunches, can vary outside the new-crop period, so ask for current availability when you request a quote.
When should I contact a supplier for Ramadan 2027?
As early as possible in the autumn. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around early February 2027, shortly after the harvest. Our Ramadan 2027 planning article gives a detailed timeline.
How do I know whether dates come from the new crop?
Ask for the crop year in your quotation request and in the order confirmation. A supplier should state clearly whether goods come from the current harvest or from earlier stock.
When are new-crop samples available?
Once the harvest has started. If you want to evaluate the current crop, plan for samples to travel during the harvest and leave time to examine them before ordering.
Does Azzed accept requests outside the harvest season?
Yes. We study every request at any time of year and tell you which presentations are realistic for your date. Use our contact form or WhatsApp at +216 52 146 101.
Further reading
Conclusion
The Tunisian Deglet Nour year has a simple shape: planning before the harvest, a new-crop period from autumn to early winter, and stored stock for the rest of the year. Your selling peaks, Ramadan above all, move across that calendar from one year to the next. Importers who mark the harvest, work backwards from their selling dates and start the conversation early usually get the widest choice and the fewest surprises.
If you are planning your next season and want to discuss Deglet Nour from Douz and Kébili, we would be glad to hear from you. Request a quote, visit our Export page, or message us on WhatsApp at +216 52 146 101.
Read next: Building a Mixed First Order of Tunisian Dates to Test Your Market
