Known since antiquity, the origin
of the date palms goes back to western India and the Persian
Gulf. Today, it is found in the warm regions of North Africa, the
Sahara and the Middle East. Palm trees are highly
resourceful.
Symbol of fertility and prosperity
of the Saharan and Pre-Saharan zones, the date palm, called the
tree of life is the nutrient tree of the populations living near
the deserts because it is one of the rare plants able to survive
in the inhospitable desert climate. It is a large tree measuring
15 to 20m in height.
There are male palms and female
palms but it is necessary to wait until flowering to distinguish
them. A single male palm tree can pollinate a hundred females,
hence the predominance of these in the palm grove.
The sown palm cores become palm
trees, but these are rarely the palm trees that we expect. The
Phoenicians did not rely on chance of planting and took care of
planting female palms bearing dates of their choice, using a kind
of cuttings that can multiply plantings.
The Tunisian oases offer a healthy
ecological system where the palm tree produces a delicious and
valuable fruit. About 150 varieties of dates are cultivated in
the southern palm groves that form the characteristic vegetation
of the oases and are concentrated in the oases of Kebili and
Tozeur.
The most commercialized date
varieties are:
Deglet Ennour
Allig
Khouat Allig
Kenta
The excellent conservation capacity
of Deglet Ennour variety in a cold room allows it to be marketed
all year long.
Deglet Ennour is the queen of all dates. It is
traditionally called the bright fruit of light for its
translucent blonde color, the softness of its appearance, the
elegance of its shape and its specific flavor.
Deglet Ennour is a fleshy, mellow
and very sweet fruit. It is the most popular variety in the world
for its superior quality and unique taste.
It is the only variety that can be
marketed in its natural twigs form.
In the commercial field, common
dates varieties is used to differentiate Deglet Ennour from the
rest of dates varieties.
Allig is picked in November. It is a particularly
tasty variety, long in form, smooth in appearance, dark
mahogany in color, soft and fleshy, with a semi-smooth
texture.
Khouet Allig has a texture, color and taste
similar to those of the Allig variety, hence its name. This
variety is slightly thinner and less sweet with a moderate
water content.
Kenta has a light golden color and attractive
appearance. This date variety has an early maturity, is less
sweet than all other varieties and its texture is
semi-dry.
