Tunisian dates

  • Published on 8/04/2016 - Published by DAWSON Carolina
  • FruiTrop n°239 , Page From 26 to 31
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Producer country file

An integral part of oasis zones for millennia, date cultivation is now booming in Tunisia. In a fragile political and economic context, agriculture is considered an essential part of revitalising the national economy, and the date, a high added-value product dedicated to the export sector, is at the centre of this strategy. The particularly prized Deglet Nour variety currently accounts for the majority of production, and makes Tunisia the main supplier to the European market. In a context of rising production and increasing market constraints in terms of competitiveness, the search for outlets is a crucial factor for Tunisia, the world number four date exporter.

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Summary

Production location and dynamics

date - tunisia - production areas map
date - tunisia - production areas map

Standing out against the backdrop of a vast desert environment, date palms can be cultivated only in the oasis zones in southern Tunisia. Hence it was estimated that the 40 976 ha registered in 2013 were mainly packed into the oases of the zones around Kébili (58 % of surface areas), Tozeur (20 %), Gabès (16 %) and Gafsa (5 %), while approximately 60 to 65 % of the current cultivation area comprises new plantations developed between 2007 and 2011.

date - tunisia - distribution of planted areas
date - tunisia - distribution of planted areas

Under the 11th National Agricultural Development Plan (2007-2011), the creation of an irrigated area of 20 000 ha, as well as private sector investment incentives, led to a big surge in date palm planting for the export sector from 2007, which helped the cultivation area expand considerably. On the back of a continuous increase since the 1980s, production has boomed since 2007, with the harvest exceeding 220 000 tonnes in 2015, according to professional sources.

date - tunisia - production
date - tunisia - production

However the growth of production should be less explosive in the coming years, due to increasing constraints of resources availability (water and land) and input costs. On top of these we can add certain structural problems such as the fall in public investment in the agricultural sector, and national and regional political instability. Hence the 12th Agricultural Development Plan (2011-2014) focused mainly on the need to improve the productivity of existing plantations and obtaining better value for production, rather than continuing the race to expand surface areas. It was in this context of securing production value that two PGIs were set up in 2012 for Deglet Nour dates in Kébili and Tozeur. Similarly, organic date production is on the rise, with export quantities of around 5 000 tonnes per year, in excess of those of the common varieties.

Varieties

Deglet Nour or “finger of light”, which is the main export variety, represents more than 75 % of the country’s production. It is known for its translucent fair colour and good preservability in cold storage, enabling it to be sold year-round. The dates are sold in the form of natural branched dates, or loose, after being dried, glucose-coated and then packed.

Other traditional varieties, or common dates, are also cultivated: Allig, Khouat Allig, Kenta, Bisr, Rochdi, Kentichi. However, they are on the way out because of their lower profitability and lower export profile. This trend raises a variety of issues such as conserving genetic heritage and dependence on a single variety, which is problematic in case of sanitary threats.

Characteristics of common varieties

Allig: long, particularly full of flavour, dark mahogany-coloured. Harvested in November.

Khouat Alig: similar taste to Allig, thinner and less sweet, moderate water content. 90 % produced in Tozeur.

Kenta: light golden colour, early maturing, less sweet, semi-dry texture. Mainly produced in Gabès.

 

Fruit development and harvest calendar

The production cycle of the date palm, between flowering and harvest, lasts from 8 to 10 months. In March-April, the fruit is green and round. The date attains its final size during the summer, with a yellow colour and smooth skin. The date does not mature until autumn, after exposure to the summer heat. So harvesting runs from the second half of September until December for the Deglet Nour variety, with the peak before Christmas. So-called “fresh” dates are collected mature and can only keep for a few days. So they are refrigerated for up to six months, or can also be frozen, which gives them a greater shelf life. Dates can also be sun-dried on the tree, and then further treated in hot-air ovens in order to reduce their water content from 70 % to 20 %. They are sometimes coated with glucose syrup, in order to extend their shelf life up to one year.

date - tunisia - harvest calendar by variety
date - tunisia - harvest calendar by variety

 

Export dynamics

With approximately 88 000 tonnes of exports in 2014 (source: Trademap), Tunisia is the world no. 4 exporter behind Iraq, Iran and Pakistan. However, unlike the other producer countries whose production is primarily aimed at self-consumption, Tunisia exports more than half of its harvest. Its main outlet is the European market, to which it is the number one supplier. France is the main European recipient of Tunisian dates, and also acts as a hub by re-exporting nearly 40 % of its imports to other Community markets.

date - tunisia - total exports and to two main destinations
date - tunisia - total exports and to two main destinations
date - tunisia - distribution of exports in 2014
date - tunisia - distribution of exports in 2014

Total exports are growing steadily, though in 2014 a one-off downturn was observed, due to climate problems which degraded the quality of the some of the supply. Exports apparently resumed their growth in the 2015 season.

There is tough competition in Europe. The growth of this market is slower than the world supply, and new countries are emerging. This is the case with Algeria which occupies the same slot with the Deglet Nour variety, and which has made big progress in recent years, with comparative advantages in terms of price. Indeed, sea-freight Tunisian Deglet Nour dates cost between 1.50 and 2.00 euros/kilo on the wholesale market in the Netherlands or United Kingdom, for example, whereas the cost of the Algerian equivalent would be less than 1.50 euro/kg.

sea-freight tunisian dates - dutch wholesale market price
sea-freight tunisian dates - dutch wholesale market price
sea-freight tunisian dates - UK wholesale market price
sea-freight tunisian dates - UK wholesale market price

The same can be said for Morocco, which is the number 2 outlet for Tunisian dates. In recent years, Tunisia has heavily stepped up its exports to this country. However, the Tunisian date is starting to undergo competition from booming local produce, promoted by the “Maroc Vert” plan.

Hence new recipient markets are being sought for this booming Tunisian production. Although the quantities are still modest, attempts at outlet diversification since 2007 seem to be on the right track, particularly to the United States, Russia and Malaysia.

 

date - tunisia - other destination markets
date - tunisia - other destination markets

Importance of the sector

Whereas Tunisian horticultural production is primarily aimed at self-consumption, only citruses, tomatoes and dates are dedicated mainly for export. In terms of national importance, dates were the second most valuable agricultural export in 2014, after olive oil and ahead of fishery products, and the most valuable in the fruit and vegetables category. Approximately 60 000 farmers are reportedly involved in growing this crop, which accounts for 5 % of national agricultural production and 16 % of the country’s agricultural and agri-business production revenue. The industry comprises a host of independent exporters (sixty or so registered).

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