Wholesale dates prices are quoted against a specification, not per fruit: the variety, the grade, the format, the pack and the delivery terms all change the number. This guide explains what moves the price, how to compare quotes like for like, and how to budget for a programme in the USA or Canada.
The Short Answer: What Do Wholesale Dates Cost?
There is no single price. Wholesale dates prices depend on variety, grade, format, organic status, pack size, volume and delivery terms, and they move with each harvest.
As a reference point only, public US bulk-case listings reviewed in October 2026 showed roughly:
| Product (case pack) | Indicative listed price per lb |
|---|---|
| Pitted Deglet Noor, 5 to 25 lb cases | About $2.80 to $5.30 — larger cases at the low end |
| Medjool, 15 to 22 lb cases | About $6 to $8 — jumbo grades at the top |
Read these numbers carefully. They are third-party case-pack listings, not Kartago quotes, and listings change and sell out. Industrial pricing by pallet or container is quoted against a specification and is typically lower per pound than case-pack pricing.
What Drives Wholesale Dates Prices
The same variety can be priced very differently depending on what you specify. These are the factors that move a wholesale price, and what to state in your enquiry:
| Factor | Effect on price | What to specify |
|---|---|---|
| Variety | Medjool, Ajwa and other soft varieties are priced above Deglet Noor, Khidri and Khalas | Variety, and whether another would do |
| Size grade | Jumbo and large grades carry a premium, especially for Medjool | Grade or count per kilogram |
| Format | Pitted, diced and paste cost more per pound than whole fruit | Whole, pitted, diced, paste, syrup or powder |
| Organic | Certification, segregation and allocated volumes add a premium | Organic or conventional |
| Pack size | Large cartons and bulk formats cost less per pound than retail packs | 5 kg, 10 kg, 20–25 kg or bulk; or retail packs |
| Volume | Price per kilogram falls as volume rises, most visibly at the full-container step | Per shipment and annual volume |
| Delivery terms | Who pays for freight, insurance and import clearance changes the total | Incoterm and destination |
| Harvest and timing | Prices are set per harvest; demand builds ahead of Ramadan | Target in-stock date |
Want a price for your specification? Tell us your variety, format, volume and destination.
Request a QuotePrice per Usable Pound: Pitted vs Whole Dates
A pitted date and a whole date are not the same product, so their price per pound is not like-for-like. The pit typically makes up roughly a tenth of a Deglet Noor date’s weight, so whole dates carry weight you will remove and discard.
A useful way to compare is the price per usable pound:
Price per usable pound
- Formula: price per pound ÷ (1 − pit share of the weight)
- Illustrative example: whole dates at $2.50 per lb with a pit share of 10% give $2.50 ÷ 0.90 = about $2.78 per usable lb — before you add the cost of pitting equipment, labour and inspection
The figures above are an illustration of the method, not a quotation. For how pitted fruit is produced, and why pit-fragment control matters, see our guide to pitted Deglet Noor dates.
Incoterms and Landed Cost: Compare Quotes Like for Like
Two quotes for the same dates are only comparable if they use the same delivery term. Incoterms define where the seller’s responsibility ends and the buyer’s begins:
| Term | Seller delivers… | You then arrange and pay for |
|---|---|---|
| EXW (Ex Works) | Goods at the seller’s warehouse | Everything onward: loading, transport, import clearance, duties |
| FOB (Free On Board) | Goods loaded on the vessel at the origin port | Main freight, insurance, import clearance, duties, inland transport |
| CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) | Goods to the destination port, with freight and insurance paid | Import clearance, duties, unloading, inland transport |
| DAP (Delivered at Place) | Goods to the named place, ready to unload | Import clearance, duties |
| DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) | Goods to the named place, cleared for import | Unloading only |
Our overall conditions of sale state that, unless the invoice specifies otherwise, our merchandise is sold EXW New Jersey warehouse; other terms are available on request. See the overall conditions of sale. Customs duties and taxes depend on tariff classification and country of origin, so confirm them with your customs broker before comparing landed costs.
Volume, Minimums and Container Loads
Minimum orders start from 200 kg. Below a full container, goods ship as part-load (LCL); a full container (FCL) is cheaper per kilogram because freight is spread over more product, which is why the largest step down in unit price usually comes at the full-container level.
If your demand is steady, an annual programme — an agreed volume released in scheduled shipments — gives you a more stable price than buying spot each time, and lets us plan your allocation against the harvest.
Harvest, Ramadan and Timing
Dates are an annual crop. Deglet Noor and most other varieties are harvested in the autumn, and prices are set for each harvest rather than month by month. Demand tends to build in the months before Ramadan, which can tighten supply of premium grades and soft varieties, so buyers who plan early and reserve volume secure better availability.
Organic volume is allocated by harvest, which makes early reservation even more important for organic programmes.
A Checklist for Comparing Quotes
Before you choose between suppliers on price alone, check that you are comparing like with like:
- Same specification — variety, grade, format, and organic or conventional.
- Same pack — carton size, bulk format, or retail packs.
- Same Incoterm — and the same named port or place.
- Same currency and payment terms — and how long the quote is valid.
- Same documents — certificate of analysis per lot, organic and food-safety certificates, Halal and Kosher if needed.
- Same lead time — stock in hand, or made to order.
- Landed cost — freight, insurance, duties, brokerage and inland transport, added to every quote that is not delivered.
How We Quote
Send us four things and we will come back with a firm quote within 24 business hours:
- Volume — per shipment and, if known, annual
- Specification — variety, grade, format, organic or conventional
- Packaging — your own artwork, our retail packs, or plain bulk
- Destination and timing — US or Canadian port or door, and your target in-stock date
We grow on our own plantations in the Tunisian Djerid and export direct to North America, with no broker between the palm and your pallet. Browse the full wholesale dates range, see our date ingredients, read about who we are, or start from the homepage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wholesale Dates Prices
How much do wholesale dates cost per pound?
It depends on the variety, grade, format and pack. Public US case-pack listings reviewed in October 2026 showed roughly $2.80 to $5.30 per lb for pitted Deglet Noor and about $6 to $8 per lb for Medjool, with larger cases at the low end. These are third-party listings, not our quotes; pallet and container pricing is quoted against your specification and is typically lower per pound.
Why do Medjool dates cost more than Deglet Noor?
Medjool is larger, softer and more labour-intensive to harvest, handle and grade, and it is sold by size grade, so jumbo and large sizes command a premium. Deglet Noor is semi-dry and firmer, handles industrial processing well and is priced lower per kilogram.
Are pitted dates more expensive than whole dates?
Per pound, yes: pitting adds processing, equipment and inspection costs, and you are no longer paying for the pit weight. Per usable pound the gap is smaller, which is why comparing price per usable pound is more useful than comparing price per pound.
Do organic wholesale dates cost more?
Yes. The premium reflects certification, strict segregation from conventional fruit and allocated volumes, not a better fruit. Reserving organic volume early, before harvest allocation is complete, gives the best availability.
What is the minimum order for wholesale dates?
Minimum orders start from 200 kg, and we ship both LCL and FCL to the USA and Canada. Tell us your volume and specification at the quote stage and we will confirm the exact minimum.
What Incoterms do you quote?
Our overall conditions of sale state that, unless the invoice specifies otherwise, our merchandise is sold EXW New Jersey warehouse. Other delivery terms are available on request; tell us your destination when you ask for a quote.
How often do wholesale dates prices change?
Prices are set for each harvest and are specific to a specification and a delivery term. Demand tends to build ahead of Ramadan, and freight costs also move, so always check how long a quote is valid and plan volume early.
How do I get a wholesale dates quote for the USA or Canada?
Send us your volume, specification, packaging and destination through our request-a-quote page. Kartago Dates ships direct from its own plantations in the Tunisian Djerid to food manufacturers, distributors and retailers across the United States and Canada, and our North American team replies within 24 business hours.
In short: wholesale dates prices depend on variety, grade, format, organic status, pack size, volume and delivery terms, and they change with each harvest. Compare quotes on the same specification, the same Incoterm and the same documents, and look at price per usable pound rather than price per pound. We quote against your specification, direct from our own plantations in the Tunisian Djerid to the USA and Canada.