Characteristics of date palm trees in tunisia

Date palm trees in southwest Tunisia:

Date palm is the basic tree of the oasis system; it represents the core of the oasis agro system. It is characterized by a pseudo trunk called stipe, it can reach 30 to 40 m in height. The date palm tree is a heterozygous and dioecious species, there are both male and female palms. In order to get successful pollination, male and female date palm trees must be in close proximity. Natural pollination by wind is then only possible when the number of male individuals in an oasis is very large, which is not the case in the oasis of Tunisia. Farmers seek to obtain a high density of fruit-producing females, while the number of male plants in an oasis varies between 2 and 6. Therefore, natural pollination must be replaced by artificial pollination, done by the farmers. The Tunisian oasis is rich in plant diversity in date palms. In the Tunisian continental oasis, more than 200 cultivars exist, the main ones are Deglat Nour, Alig, Kenta, Akhouet, etc… The Tunisian oasis contains more than 3,500,000 feet of various varieties with the predominance of the variety “Deglet Nour“. This variety constitutes the mainstay of the oasis economy and contributes significantly to the trade balance through exports. Kébili region in “Nefzaoua” contains more than 3 million date palms, about 58% of national production, followed by Tozeur region (Djérid) with 31%. These two sets account for approximately 90% of the date palm heritage of the Tunisian oasis.

Tunisia as a world-leading exporter of dates:

Tunisia is the world’s leading exporter in terms of value. Tunisian dates capture 23% of the value of world trade. In 2013, exports reached 105.8 thousand tons for a value of 379.9 million dinars. The export effort is 53.8%. Some elements represent a major constraint for the sustainability and quality of production:

• Irrigation water is the essential limiting factor.
• Management difficulties (absenteeism, fragmentation, land problems, investment difficulties…).
• The scarcity of qualified manpower.

Date Palm trees benefits:

Every part of date palm trees has great benefits: their fruits, fibers, nuclei, fronds, leaves and wicker, without mentioning the many materials extracted from the fruits and parts of the palm. Its fruits are rich in all the nutrients necessary for humans, including water, minerals, salts, vitamins and sugars. Kartago dates are the best when eaten after breakfast, and the reason is that there are types of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants and other chemicals. The use of dates and wet is widespread in the circles of folk medicine and modern medicine to treat constipation. The reason is that dates are among the highest plant food products containing soluble fiber. There are other indications for pregnant women and births to take dates for their benefit in the movement of the uterine muscle. It stimulates the secretion of milk from the breast, and activates the body’s immune system.

Dates are a Vitamin Mine:

Dates are a mine of vitamins for their abundance of mineral elements they contain such as phosphorous, calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium, sulfur and chlorine. Organic dates are characterized by several health benefits, most notably that they are a liver tonic, laxative, and increase sexual strength, especially with pine nuts. It also treats the roughness of the throat. It is one of the most nutritious fruits for the body. And eating it on an empty stomach kills worms. It also acts as a tonic for muscles and nerves, a delay in aging, fights nervous anxiety, activates the thyroid gland, softens blood vessels, softens the intestines and preserves them from weakness and inflammation, strengthens the brain chambers, combats dizziness, blindness, laxity and laziness, diuretics, cleans the liver, and cleanses the kidneys. Dates soaked are useful against coughing and bronchitis, while their fibers combat constipation, and their salts adjust the acidity of the blood that causes kidney stones, gall bladder, gout, hemorrhoids, and high blood pressure. Only obese people and diabetics need to avoid it. It is one of the best foods in cold and hot countries, and most people digest them in an hour. In addition to the fact that dates are food, they are fruit, drink, candy, and medicine, water represents 21%, a large number of vitamins, 12% protein, 18% fats, 73% sugars, and 3% fibers. One kilogram of dates gives the same calorific value as a kilogram of meat, and three times as much as a kilogram of fish. It moisturizes the intestines and protects them from infections. It is rich in dextrose and cane sugar, and helps calm and psychological comfort, so it is prescribed for neurotic and irritable moods, and to get a full meal of dates, it is preferable to drink milk with it.