Dates are part of daily life in Madinah, from the plate offered to guests to the box you send to family abroad. For residents, the useful questions are practical ones: which varieties to know, where the main market is, and how to keep a good batch fresh. This guide answers those using official and well-known sources.
Quick answer
Short answer: Madinah is best known for Ajwa, with Safawi among the most widely available local dates. The city’s Central Dates Market sits in the Food City project at the junction of King Khalid Road (Third Ring Road) and Ali bin Abi Talib Road. At home, wash dates under running water, keep them in airtight containers, and use the fridge or freezer for longer storage.
Key takeaways
- Ajwa is cultivated in Al-Madinah Province and is dark, almost black, with fine winding lines (Saudipedia).
- Safawi dates are medium-sized, black and semi-dry, and found in nearly all Madinah markets (Visit Saudi).
- The Central Dates Market opened in September 2025; its first phase covers more than 37,000 m² (SPA).
- The SFDA says freezing is the best way to preserve dates (SFDA).
Why dates matter in Madinah
Date palms have shaped Madinah for centuries, and the region remains a major producer. Saudipedia, citing the National Center for Palms and Dates, puts the province at about 4.5 million date palms, including around 800,000 Ajwa palms.
Dates also carry religious meaning for Muslims. In Sahih Muslim, ‘A’isha reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “A family which has dates will not be hungry.” (Sahih Muslim 2046a, sunnah.com)
About Ajwa specifically, Sa’d reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “He who eats seven ‘Ajwa dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5445, sunnah.com) Many families keep Ajwa at home for this reason. Treat it as a Sunnah to follow, not as a replacement for medical care.
Madinah dates in numbers
4.5 million
date palms in Al-Madinah Province (Saudipedia)
37,000 m²
first phase of the Central Dates Market (SPA)
3 months
longest fridge storage for some date types (SFDA)
Varieties worth knowing
These are the names residents meet most often, as official sources describe them.
| Variety | What to expect | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Ajwa | Round, very dark, distinctive taste | Madinah’s best-known date; popular as a gift |
| Safawi | Medium-sized, black, semi-dry | Widely available across Madinah markets |
| Anbara (Amber) | Premium date with a dry taste | Scarce, so it’s usually among the costliest |
| Khudri | Large, dark red, chewy flesh | One of the most common dates in shops |
| Sukkari | Golden, sweet, sometimes crisp | Grown mainly in Qassim; widely sold |
Saudipedia notes that Ajwa is known locally in two forms: a larger fruit called Ajwat Abi Dhira’a and a smaller one called al-Madradimah. If a seller uses those names, that is what they mean.
Harvest season and timing
Dates are eaten at several stages. Visit Saudi lists four: kimri (unripe, green), khalal (full-size, crunchy, yellow), rutab (ripe and soft) and tamr (fully ripe, sun-dried and dark).
For Ajwa, Saudipedia says the fruit reaches the khalal stage in the second half of June and the tamr stage by August. Visit Saudi suggests looking for freshly harvested dates in the souqs from August to November.
Late summer is also when the Madinah Dates Season usually runs at the Central Dates Market, with auctions and producers’ stands. In September 2024, SPA reported auctions there featuring some 28 local varieties.
The Central Dates Market
Madinah’s Central Dates Market was inaugurated in September 2025 as part of the Food City project, according to SPA.
The site is at the intersection of King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Road (Third Ring Road) and Ali bin Abi Talib Road. For most residents that means a car or taxi trip rather than a walk, so plan around prayer times and evening traffic.
Away from the central market, dates are sold in ordinary supermarkets and in date shops in most neighbourhoods. Buying from a licensed, established shop with clear labelling is the safest everyday choice.
Tip
New to the city? Make sure your National Address is set up before you order dates for home delivery. Our first-month checklist walks through it.
How to buy good dates
A few simple habits help you avoid a disappointing batch.
Before you buy
- Ask to taste a sample, and compare two or three varieties side by side
- Split a date open to remove the seed and check it is free of pests (a tip from Visit Saudi)
- Check that the colour and texture are even across the box, with no mould or unusual stickiness
- Read the label on packaged dates for the variety, packing date and producer
- Buy an amount you can store properly rather than one very large box
Buying as a gift?
Ajwa is the classic gift from Madinah. Choose sealed, labelled packs so the dates travel well, and check the import rules of the country you’re sending them to before you post them.
Washing and storing dates at home
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) advises washing dates well under running water before eating. This reduces any pesticide or chemical residues. It also says not to reuse the same washing water for another batch.
For storage, the SFDA describes refrigeration, freezing and drying.
Storing dates the SFDA way
1
Short term (fridge): keep dates in airtight, moisture-proof containers; they last several weeks, and some types up to three months.
2
Long term (freezer): freezing is the best method; use the lowest temperature your freezer allows.
3
Remember ripening continues: enzyme activity does not fully stop in the freezer, so soft dates may keep softening.
4
Dried dates: with moisture reduced to about 20% and storage at 25°C, the SFDA says dates can keep for up to a year.
Warning
Dates are naturally high in sugar. If anyone in your family manages diabetes or another health condition, ask your doctor how many dates suit them.
Making dates part of family life
Many families keep a small dish of dates ready for guests, and children can help sort and wash a new batch.
If you’re planning a family day out, a stop for dates pairs well with the visits in our family weekend guide to Quba and Uhud. For getting across the city, see our transport guide.
General information, last checked 6 October 2026. Market arrangements and event dates are set by the authorities and can change; check official announcements before you go.
Sources
- https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/N2395771
- https://spa.gov.sa/en/N2172198
- https://saudipedia.com/en/ajwa-dates
- https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/stories/saudis-date-festivals-tasting-journeys-types-of-dates
- https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/stories/the-history-of-dates-in-saudi-arabia-ajwa-anbara-and-more
- https://www.sfda.gov.sa/en/news/sfda-advises-wash-dates-well-eating
- https://www.sfda.gov.sa/en/news/sfda-best-method-preserving-dates-freezing
- https://sunnah.com/bukhari:5445
- https://sunnah.com/muslim:2046a
Leave a Reply