Our sustainable farms
Jomara dates are grown in our iconic date groves in Al Ghat, Saudi Arabia, a region famed for its ideal climate, rich soil and sweet water, perfect for growing productive date palms. State-of-the-art sustainable farming methods, employing proprietary cultivation and processing technology, enable us to produce exceptional quality organic dates and date products. As the world’s only date grower, producer and distributor, Jomara has full control over the supply chain.
From the roots
The Jomara groves are looked after meticulously by a team of seasoned experts. Together they combine centuries-old date farming techniques with the latest in sustainable processes. A traditional falaj irrigation system distributes natural waters from the nearby wadis, enabling farmers to recycle the water efficiently while ensuring the precious resource is preserved.
Date palms are a dioecious species, which means that pollination has to be done entirely by hand, while young offshoots also have to be carefully tended over years. It’s a laborious process but one that’s become a passion project for Jomara. Once fully mature, the trees are known to live as long as a century and are capable of producing up to 150 kilograms of fruit a year.
While the team is hard at work throughout the year, activity picks up around early spring when the date palms begin to bear fruit. The farmers spend a lot of time taking care of each tree and its budding fruit so that it can reach is full potential. This can involve everything from making sure the roots are kept free from grass and weeds, to ensuring a constant supply of moisture with the help of digging trenches around the trunks.
As the fruits start to grow, our farmers also begin the process of carefully thinning each section. This is done in order to ensure every remaining date gains the optimum amount of sunshine, air circulation as well as space to fully develop. All organic waste, including the thinned sections, is reused as nutrient-rich compost, minimising waste and keeping the soil fertile.
Jomara’s commitment to sustainable farming means that every operational action is carefully thought out, preferring methods that have the least impact on nature. For example, birds and insects are kept away from the ripening fruit with the help of a well-ventilated fabric that’s carefully placed on each cluster, completely avoiding the use of pesticides.
Bearing fruit
The Jomara farmers return to check on each tree – sometimes several times over the course of the season – and hand-pick each date only when perfectly ripe. The fruit is immediately packed and stored, in order to lock in its delicious flavours, before being cleaned and then undergoing a comprehensive assessment that reviews its quality, size and colour.
Once graded, the dates make their way to Jomara’s ultra-modern production hub in the emirate of Dubai where culinary artisans get to work. The dates are carefully packaged or further enhanced with a variety of premium nuts, dried fruits and even chocolate. The delicious dates that haven’t made the cut based on their appearance are given a new lease of life as the star ingredient in Jomara’s range of date bars, syrups and more.
