An overview of Phoenix dactylifera L. Date Varieties in the Province of Bechar (Southwest of Algeria): Productivity and Challenges of the Date Palm Sector

Date palms (Phoenix dactylifera L.) are of ecological, socio-economic, and nutritional importance for the Saharan population. This study aims to scan the production of dates, particularly in Bechar (Southwest of Algeria) by determining the main varieties of dates, and the areas of agricultural exploitation intended for their production in Bechar. Several palm oases were visited to survey the different varieties of dates produced in Bechar, while the statistical data relating to the dates production and the date-producing agricultural areas were obtained through bibliographic, documentary research, as well as data from the agricultural services department of Bechar (DSA). The obtained results showed that Algeria is among the leading producers of dates, ranking fourth worldwide through 16 date-producing provinces, where the province of Bechar occupies the 6th position with production going from 2,446 t (2015) to 59,781.3 t (2021). A rate of 85% of this production is attributed to the soft date variety 'Ghers' and its analogs, while 15% is for the dry dates 'Degla Beida' and similar ones. The survey carried out in Bechar showed richness and diversity in terms of the variety of dates. Among the 10 component municipalities of Bechar province, Taghit is the most dates-producing municipality, constituting a rate of 12,72% of the total production. The agricultural area intended for the production of dates has also undergone an evolution where it reached a total of 13,918.5 ha (Agricultural area occupied by date palms) of which 10,027 ha is the date-producing agricultural area. The challenges facing this crop mainly lie in phytopathogenic diseases affecting the date palms and in climatic factors, namely drought and water stress. The local and national authorities should intervene to maintain and even promote the place of date-producing provinces in Algeria, which constitutes one of the drivers of economic development outside the oil sector.