The competitive advantage of the Tunisian palm date sector in the Mediterranean region

Abstract

<p>In Tunisia, date-palm cultivation and production are of clear strategic importance in terms of economic, social and environmental development. However, the globalization of markets has had a huge impact on the traditional concept of the comparative advantage enjoyed by Tunisia in date exports, highlighting the necessary determinants for competitiveness in the international scenario. In fact, an analysis of the competitive advantage of the Tunisian date industry in the Mediterranean area and Iran over the last 20 years shows that Tunisia is still the main supplier of dates to the EU. The Deglet-Nour variety, in particular, puts Tunisia ahead of traditional competitors such as Algeria and Iran, with average of competitiveness indices as BIS 6405.99, DI 17.38, CMS 41.04 and TBI 99.50 are more stable than those countries during the studied period. But it is currently facing new competitors like Israel and re-exporting countries like France. New business strategies (conditioning, new non-chemical treatments, packing, opening new markets, new distribution channels) would be positive responses to tackle current market limitations, the emergence of new producers and restrictive EU policies.</p>

How Far Can the Red Palm Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Fly?: Computerized Flight Mill Studies With Field-Captured Weevils

“…Moreover, although red palm weevil is currently restricted to urban areas in Tunis, its establishment poses a major socio-economic threat to the date industry in the southern regions of the country. Tunisia is the biggest supplier of dates to the European Union (Ben-Amor et al 2015), and it is estimated that ~1 2% of Tunisians derive income from date production (Faleiro et al 2012). Furthermore, date production is the foundation of many oasian settlements in southern Tunisia (Benaoun et al 2014).…”

“…Furthermore, date production is the foundation of many oasian settlements in southern Tunisia (Benaoun et al 2014). In 2011, an estimated ~5 1,000 Ha of dates were farmed in Tunisia, and this acreage produced ~1 80,000 tons of dates (Ben-Amor et al 2015). Palms less than 20 years of age are most vulnerable to attack by red palm weevil and it is estimated that 50% of date palms in Tunisia (i.e., over 2 million trees) are in this age range (Faleiro et al 2012).…”

Is policy paralysis on quarantine issues in the Near East and North Africa region leading to the buildup and spread of red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus?

“…Moreover, although red palm weevil is currently restricted to urban areas in Tunis, its establishment poses a major socio-economic threat to the date industry in the southern regions of the country. Tunisia is the biggest supplier of dates to the European Union (Ben-Amor et al, 2015), and it is estimated that ~12% of Tunisians derive income from date production (Faleiro et al, 2012). Although the RPW is reported from all over the Meghreb region of North Africa, it was not found in any of the official records in Algeria (Faleiro, 2012), and absence of RPW through surveys in Algeria was confirmed by datasheet records (CABI, 2018).…”

Phylogeny and Mycotoxin Profile of Pathogenic Fusarium Species Isolated from Sudden Decline Syndrome and Leaf Wilt Symptoms on Date Palms (Phoenix dactylifera) in Tunisia

“…Therefore, in Tunisia, the date palm occupies a strategic place in the socio-economic stability of the oasis agro-system in desert regions and provides the main financial resource of the oasis. Indeed, an analysis on the competitive advantage of the date industry in the all Mediterranean area countries and Iran showed that Tunisia is the main supplier of dates to the EU, with about 10% of the Tunisian population depending on this crop [ 2 ].…”