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In 2022, date production in Tunisia went through a major crisis. The reasons were complex, ranging from climate change to panicked farmers using pesticides. But there is a happy ending for nature.
15. November 2023
Dates on the branch
Organic
Tunisia
Tunisian dates from the new harvest. Immediately after being harvested, the palm fruits of the Deglet Nour variety are sent to South Organic, a company in Kebili which gebana helped to start. The employees sort out and package the best dates so that you can receive the juiciest ones. The fruits are supplied to us in clusters. That means that they aren’t pitted, but they will stay fresh and juicy longer.
How much is that?
Use & preparation
- Dates also work well in savoury dishes, like Carrot Salad, Broccoli-Date Salad or Feta dip with date topping
- Ideal for use as a sweetener when baking – as home-made date syrup, for example: To make 200 g of syrup, combine 120 g of pitted dates and 80 g water. Leave to soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Drain the dates, reserving just a splash of water and blend until smooth. Read more here.
- More sweet recipes: Orange tahini cookies, Almond and Orange Muffins with Date and Cacao Frosting, Cashew Cardamom Cookies, Peanut, tahini and chocolate date bars, Christmas biscuits with fonio, dates and almonds, Miso Date Paste
Storage & shelf life
Dates have a high moisture content and must be stored in a cool place. Do not keep them in airtight containers, otherwise they may begin to ferment. Store them in the refrigerator, in the cellar or outside, protected from frost. If the dates have dried out slightly over time, they will be preserved due to their naturally high sugar content. Our dates will keep for up to a year without any problems and will become drier and harder over time.
| Nutrition table per 100g | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1293kJ/309kcal |
| Fat | 0 g |
| of which saturates | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 71 g |
| of which sugar | 71 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Salt | 0.03 g |
Sustainability and supply chain
Producers
Grown by 191 family farmers on an average of 1 ha in the region around Kebili in Tunisia.
Cultivation
Organic, irrigated fields, harvested by hand.
Processing
Manually sorted, shipped immediately after harvest.
Purchasing & Logistics
Purchasing from cooperatives and family farmers straight from the farm since 2003.
Transport: by lorry from Kebili to Radès, by ship to Genoa, by lorry to Switzerland/Germany.
ZIED FRIEJA
FARMER FROM HAZOUA, TUNISIA
Organic farming is good for our health and good for my income.
Zied Frieja comes from a family with eight children. He takes care of the plot that belongs to his father, Mohamed. He grows dates for export and citrus fruits for the local market on a single hectare. "I'm not a farmer by choice – it's an obligation. There are no other jobs here," he says. Still, Frieja loves everything about his job. "A plot of land can feed an entire family. If there is a problem on the plot, it affects the whole family."
Background
A bad situation becomes an opportunity for nature
In 2022, date production in Tunisia went through a major crisis. The reasons were complex, ranging from climate change to panicked farmers using pesticides. But there is a happy ending for nature.
Related blog posts
The date harvest will soon start in the oases of southern Tunisia. It marks the beginning of a very exciting time.
28. September 2017
gebana project in Tunisia: modern irrigation and alternative crops
30. October 2014
We were delighted: in September the weather was completely on our side. It rained in the oases around Kebili, where gebana Maghreb is and where we get our dates. That means nice juicy dates! The rain complements the irrigation
25. October 2013
October 19, 9 a.m., Derjine Oasis: Three generations of date farmers set out to harvest the first date clusters from the palms. For that they must climb high into the palms, which is the task of the young men.
7. November 2011
Related recipes
Fancy an aromatic dip for your next apéro? Try our feta dip with a date-olive topping. Recipe by thehungrywarrior
These vegan bars made with our cluster dates are quick to make and require no oven. Recipe by Milena Krais, www.milenakrais.de
These little nut-based delights are vegan and can be prepared without an oven. By Magdalena Schiefer, Magda mag das
These muffins are wonderfully moist – partly because of the pureed orange that's in the batter. Give them a try! Recipe by Sophia Schillik, cucinapiccina
Cookies, guetzli, cookies, biscotto. No matter which name you prefer: These cashew cookies with cardamom are in a class of their own. Recipe by Sophia Ernst, Sophias Happyplace
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