Tamarind fruits are usually harvested at two stages, i.e. half ripe and fully ripe. At the half ripe stage the pulp is yellowish and has a more dense consistency, particularly in the case of sweet forms.

At the fully ripe stage the pulp shrinks, due to loss of moisture, and changes to reddish-brown and becomes sticky.

At this stage, the sticky fruit sits very lose in the peel, around shiny brown seeds, and is held together by inedible fibres.