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.
